Remember the commercials spreading the word that "milk does a body good"? The infamous "milk mustache" is now part of a major ad campaign nationwide.
Osteoporotic fractures represent a significant health risk in the elderly population. In fact, in some age groups, the risk of clinical fracture might be as high as 75 percent. The equation is simple: The lower a person's bone mineral density (BMD), the higher the risk of developing osteoporotic fractures.
| Sources of Magnesium (Select Foods) | Milligrams (mg) | % of Daily Value (DV) |
| Halibut (cooked, 3 oz.) | 90 | 20 |
| Almonds (dry roasted, 1 oz.) | 80 | 20 |
| Cashews (dry roasted, 1 oz.) | 75 | 20 |
| Soybeans (mature, cooked, 1/2 cup) | 75 | 20 |
| Spinach (frozen, cooked, 1/2 cup) | 75 | 20 |
| Nuts (mixed, dry roasted, 1 oz.) | 65 | 15 |
| Potato (baked, with skin, 1 medium) | 50 | 15 |
| Peanuts (dry roasted, 1 oz.) | 50 | 15 |
| Peanut butter (smooth, 2 tbsp.) | 50 | 15 |
| Wheat bran (crude, 2 tbsp.) | 45 | 10 |
| Blackeyed peas (cooked, 1/2 cup) | 45 | 10 |
| Yogurt (plain, skim milk, 8 fluid oz.) | 45 | 10 |
| Bran flakes (3/4 cup) | 40 | 10 |
| Vegetarian baked beans (1/2 cup) | 40 | 10 |
| Rice (brown, long-grained, cooked, 1/2 cup) | 40 | 10 |
| Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/magnesium.asp | ||
Adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D is regarded as the primary dietary measure for maintaining strong bones and high BMD. In conducting a recent cross-sectional cohort study, researchers compared magnesium intake from supplemental and dietary sources in relation to BMD in 2,038 men and women between 70 and 79 years of age. Dietary intake of magnesium was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, while supplemental magnesium intake was collected based on a medication inventory. BMD was obtained using a densitometer, with additional data collected on body mass index, alcohol use, physical activity, and supplemental intake of calcium and vitamin D.
Researchers found that less than 26 percent of participants met the recommended daily allowance for magnesium intake (320 milligrams per day for women ages 70 and older and 420 milligrams per day for same-aged men). After adjusting for energy intake, total magnesium intake through supplements and food was positively associated with increased bone mineral density in white, but not black, men and women. For every 100 milligrams per day increase in magnesium, the researchers found an approximate 2 percent increase in whole-body BMD. While they weren't able to explain the lack of such an association in black men and women, the researchers said it could be due to differences in calciotropic hormones or responses to nutrients in milk.
The researchers note that a large percentage of older adults do not meet the recommended daily allowance (RDA) or the estimated average requirement (EAR) for magnesium, resulting in a population at risk for magnesium deficiency. Higher magnesium intake through dietary change or supplements may provide an additional strategy for the prevention of osteoporosis.
SOURCE:
Ryder KM, Shorr RI, Bush AJ, et al. Magnesium intake from food and supplements is associated with bone mineral density in healthy older white subjects. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society November 2005;52(11):1875-1880.
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