Clinical Benefits of Magnesium
As the second most abundant intracellular cation, magnesium has been connected to a variety of conditions. Many benefits have been attributed to ensuring adequate magnesium intake, but the strongest consensus of professional opinion has been in the area of cardiovascular disease or heart health.

The recent ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) Study, conducted by University of Minnesota and Johns Hopkins, investigated the magnesium and Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) connection in 13,922 patients, CHD free at baseline, over a period of 4 to 7 years. In the report "Is Low Magnesium Concentration a Risk Factor for Coronary Heart Disease? The ARIC Study," published in the American Heart Journal (136(3):480-490, 1998), the authors concluded that the "findings suggest that low magnesium concentration may contribute to the pathogenesis of coronary atherosclerosis or acute thrombosis."

Information from research like the ARIC Study is leading many to emphasize adequate magnesium intake. Based on USDA dietary research and the current U.S.R.D.A. for magnesium, the majority of your patients, especially age 70 and older, would benefit from one MAG-OX 400 daily. MAG-OX makes sense for cardiovascular concerns, whether specifically for those taking magnesium-depleting medications like furosemide or more generally as a dietary supplement recommendation.

Dietary Deficiency
The average diet lacks adequate magnesium. The most recent U.S.R.D.A. (recommended daily allowance) for magnesium is 320 mgs for adult females and 420 mgs for adult males. One USDA study (Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals, 1994) found that the average adult diet in the United States includes 228 mgs of magnesium for females and 323 mgs of magnesium for males. This study also showed that magnesium intake decreases further at age 70 and older.

What foods provide Mg? In general, nuts and unprocessed cereal grains have a high Mg concentration; legumes, vegetables, fruits, meats, and fish an intermediate Mg concentration; and dairy products and beverages a low Mg concentration. Also, a rich source of Mg is chocolate. However, refining, processing, and preparing food may affect a substantial loss of Mg. The ever-increasing reliance on refined, processed and "fast" foods has caused a drop in the average daily intake of Mg from about 420 mgs/d in 1900 to less than 300 mgs/d at present—below the U.S.R.D.A. for men and women. Thus, modern food technology and the inclination to avoid foods like nuts and chocolate to control body weight has predisposed people to an inadequate intake of Mg and a greater vulnerability to Mg deficiency.

Based on the dietary research and U.S.R.D.A. levels, the majority of consumers would benefit from taking one MAG-OX 400 once daily. This provides 240 mgs of elemental magnesium, enough to help the average diet meet the current U.S.R.D.A.

Magnesium-Depleting Drugs
Several drugs can cause magnesium depletion, primarily by increasing excretion of Mg by the kidney. The most common drugs are the following: diuretics (furosemide, ethacrynic acid, and thiazides), antibiotics (gentamicin, tobramycin, carbenicillin, ticarcillin, and amphotericin b), cisplatin, and cyclosporine. Patients on any of these drugs long-term should be considered for Mg supplementation with MAG-OX 400.