Signs and consequences when children lack magnesium

Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in more than 300 different chemical reactions in the body and plays an important role in metabolism. Magnesium works with calcium to ensure normal muscle function. In particular, calcium promotes muscle contraction and magnesium helps muscle relaxation. Magnesium also supports the activation of vitamin D and calcium to help keep bones strong.
In addition, magnesium also plays an important role in helping the heart beat normally, preventing tooth decay and supporting the immune system when the body is under stress. In addition, magnesium is also a relaxation factor and has a role in promoting sleep.

The amount of magnesium the body needs depends on age and gender. The average recommended amount of magnesium per day according to age is as follows:
Infants under 6 months: 30 mg/day Infants 7-12 months: 75 mg/day Children 1-3 years old: 80 mg/day Children 4-8 years old: 130 mg/day Children 9-13 years old: 240 mg/day Male 14-18 years old: 410mg/day Female 14-18 years old: 360mg/day.

Magnesium deficiency in children is not very common. However, as more and more children eat processed foods, magnesium deficiency is becoming more common. The reason is due to the tendency to lose magnesium during processing, so parents need to prioritize whole grain foods in their children's diets, especially when there are signs of magnesium deficiency in children. Magnesium deficiency can also occur in children with digestive disorders such as celiac disease, chronic diarrhea or type 2 diabetes.
Initially, signs of magnesium deficiency in children are loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and weakness. When deficiency is severe, symptoms can include numbness, tingling, muscle spasms or cramps, and severe symptoms related to irregular heartbeats and seizures. A magnesium deficiency can also affect a child's behavior such as sadness (irritability or hyperactivity), difficulty concentrating, insomnia, and anxiety.

Magnesium is one of the important elements in the body, participating in metabolism, ensuring the functioning of bones, muscles and the immune system. When a child's body lacks magnesium, it can lead to many dangerous diseases, causing children to grow slowly, underdeveloped in height and small skeletal muscles. In addition, children with magnesium deficiency often have behavioral disorders, aggression or depression, anxiety.
Magnesium participates in the process of muscle relaxation, so if a child lacks magnesium, it will make muscles weak, prone to cramps, muscle spasms, involuntary nystagmus.

Magnesium is added daily to the body through diet or vitamin and mineral supplements. Parents can rest assured that magnesium can be easily supplemented for their baby through a well-balanced diet. Some foods rich in magnesium parents should add to their child's diet such as:
Dark green vegetables: spinach, broccoli, .... Nuts: roasted pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds, peanut butter, chia seeds,... Legumes: soybeans, black beans, kidney beans, lentils, ... Whole grains: bread, oats, brown rice,... Fish fatty: salmon, halibut,... Fruits and vegetables: bananas, broccoli, carrots, apples. When children show signs of magnesium deficiency, parents should seek medical advice. In some cases, in addition to supplementing magnesium through the diet, the doctor will prescribe magnesium supplements with drugs or functional foods for children. According to leading nutrition experts, parents need to be calm and persistent when supplementing with nutrients for their children, even through eating or functional foods. In particular, the use of functional foods should choose those of natural origin that are easily absorbed, do not allow children to use many types at the same time or continuously change the types of functional foods.
In addition to Magnesium, babies need to add essential micronutrients such as: Zinc, selenium, chromium, vitamins B1 and B6, ginger, acerola fruit extract (vitamin C), ... to improve taste, eat delicious , reach the correct height and weight, and exceed the standard, have a good immune system, strengthen the resistance to get sick less often and have less digestive problems. Mothers should also learn about the role of biological zinc and properly supplement zinc for children at appropriate times to avoid zinc deficiency affecting the overall development of children.
For more nutritional knowledge and child care for each age, parents should regularly visit the website vimec.com and make an appointment with the leading doctors, pediatric and nutrition experts of the National General Hospital. Vinmec when needing advice on children's health.