Impact of rising body weight and cereal grain food processing on human magnesium nutrition

Abstract

Aim The World Health Organisation (WHO) magnesium (Mg) estimated average requirement (EAR) is not adjusted for rise in human body weight (BW) and neglects body Mg stores depletion. Cereal grain food processing results in Mg loss and reduces dietary Mg intake which mainly originates from cereals. Here we reassess human dietary Mg deficiency risk considering actual human BWs and modern levels of cereal grain food processing. Methods Human Mg requirement was adjusted for rising BW plus low and high estimates to prevent body Mg store depletion. Magnesium supply was recalculated for cereal grain (maize, millet, rice, oats, sorghum, and wheat) food processing of none, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. Resulting Mg deficiency risks in 1992 and 2011 were calculated at national, regional, continental and global scales using the EAR cut-point method. Results Globally, human Mg requirement increased by 4-118% under the three Mg requirement scenarios compared to the WHO EARs set in 1998. However, dietary Mg supply declined with increased cereal grain food processing. At 100% cereal grain processing, dietary Mg supply was reduced by 56% in 1992 and 51% in 2011. Global human Mg deficiency risk reached 62% in 2011 with 100% cereal grain processing and largest EAR set to prevent depletion of body Mg stores and corrected for BW rises. Conclusion Global dietary Mg Supply adequately meets human Mg requirement given the global obesity epidemic. But, Mg intakes preventing body Mg store depletion plus high Mg losses due to cereal grain food processing start to show noteworthy risks of potential Mg deficit in populations consuming diets with >50% cereal grain food processing. These findings have ramifications for the global spread of the major chronic, non-communicable diseases associated with nutritional Mg deficiencies such as cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes.

Physiological Essence of Magnesium in Plants and Its Widespread Deficiency in the Farming System of China

“…Approximately two-thirds of adults in western countries do not consume satisfactory amounts of Mg, resulting in the nutritional disorder called “hypomagnesemia” that subsequently escalates to chronic diseases from its hidden deficiency (Hermans et al, 2013 ). The Mg-related nutritional disorders in humans are linked to declining Mg concentrations in the soil and food crops (Rosanoff, 2013 ; Rosanoff and Kumssa, 2020 ). Therefore, optimizing Mg nutrition is an imperative concern for food security and human health (Broadley and White, 2010 ).…”

Global Trends (1961–2017) in Human Dietary Potassium Supplies

“…Homeostatic control of serum K concentration occurs mainly through the regulation of urinary K excretion. However, reduced dietary intake of Mg [ 12 ] and K [ 2 ], and increased consumption of Na [ 13 , 14 ] due to food processing and high intake of salt [ 15 ] affect the utilisation of K. Loss of K during food processing reduces dietary K intake [ 16 , 17 , 18 ].…”

“…The prevalence of K deficiency in populations with median K supply greater or equal to the AI is likely to be low; however, the inverse cannot be assumed where the median K intake is less than the AI [ 21 ], and this limits the ability to assess the adequacy of population K intakes. This contrasts with other mineral micronutrients which have RDAs and Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) values defined, from which the prevalence of inadequate dietary intakes and risk of deficiency can be estimated [ 9 , 12 , 21 , 22 , 23 ].…”

Essential Metals and Trace Elements in Cereals and Their Derivatives Commercialized and Consumed in Cape Verde

“…This fact is important because a deficient intake of Mg is related to cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, etc. [ 30 ]. Studies carried out by Laskowski et al [ 31 ] showed that cereals are the main source of Mg in the diet.…”