New healthy opportunities for magnesium fortification

By Jungbunzlauer

Besides calcium (bone health, anti-obesity effect) and potassium (heart health) the mineral magnesium is getting increasing attention in the functional foods and supplements industry. Several human studies have highlighted the beneficial effect of this important mineral on muscle functionality, bone health, hypertension, inflammation, asthma, headaches and even diabetes. In Europe, the regulations on fortification and health claims will enable manufacturers as of July 1st, 2007 to use highly effective magnesium salts such as trimagnesium citrates for fortification purposes. In the USA, Jungbunzlauer trimagnesium citrates just recently were acknowledged GRAS status and can from now on be used for fortification of food and beverages as well. In this article, Dr. Gerhard Gerstner from Jungbunzlauer, a leading manufacturer of highly bioavailable organic mineral salts used in food, dietetic products and pharmaceuticals, sheds some light on magnesium and its currently discussed health claims.

Magnesium status of the population
The great physiological importance of Magnesium (Mg) results from its involvement in a large variety of biological functions, its intervention in enzymatic reactions (>300 enzymes) and its role in membrane function and neuromuscular excitability [1]. However, nutritionists assume that in developed western

countries, due to changes in lifestyle and increased consumption of processed food, dietary Mg generally does not meet the recommended intake for adults and that therefore Mg deficiency is not uncommon among the general population. At the end of the nineties, deliberations by the US Food Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine resulted in an increase in the estimated average requirement (EAR) and recommended daily allowances (RDA) for Mg: EAR (adult males/females) = 350/265 mg/d) RDA = 420/320 mg/d). This is substantially more than the mean intake for U.S. males and females (323/228 mg/d), indicating that a significant proportion of the population falls far short of the estimated requirements [2]. In a recent French study in more than 5000 subjects it was found that 23 percent of the women and 18 percent of the men consumed less than 66 percent of the recommended dietary allowance [3].

Magnesium health claims
As a consequence of the new EU claims regulation valid since 1 July 2007 [4], health claims made on foods need to be approved and must fulfil the following two criteria according to Art. 13 (1): (i) they are based on generally accepted scientific evidence; and (ii) they are well understood by the average consumer. In this respect, the European food industry jointly developed and consolidated a list of possible health claims of food and specific substances added to food. Together with a comprehensive compilation of scientific references, this list is now being submitted to the EFSA (European Food Safety Agency) for evaluation and approval. The contribution is a joint initiative of the Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries of the EU (CIAA), the European Responsible Nutrition Alliance (ERNA), the European Federation of Health Products Manufacturers (EHPM) and the European Botanical Forum (EBF). Being an expert on calcium, Mg and potassium fortification, Jungbunzlauer actively participated in the consolidation of the industry’s health claims on minerals. With regard to Mg, the industry’s standpoint of health relationships includes beneficial effects on bone and teeth structure, energy metabolism, electrolyte balance, muscle function and nerve transmission/ function (Table 1). Considering the nature of evidence, all of these Mg claims refer to “Authoritative Body” and underlying profound scientific studies. Thus, if approved by the EFSA and the EU Commission (planned as of 31 January 2010 at the latest), these health relationships and exemplary wordings could be used in the EU for products with added magnesium.

Taking into account the need of profound nutritional studies to justify health claims, only salts which are proven to effectively provide Mg to the human body will do the job. Trimagnesium citrates (trimagnesium citrate anhydrous and trimagnesium citrate nonahydrate) are highly soluble as well as bioavailable organic mineral salts [5] and had been widely used in sports nutrition, food supplements, baby food and other dietary products so far. Due to recent changes in US and EU food legislation in favour of trimagnesium citrates, these two Mg salts will offer new possibilities for the development of innovative Mg fortified food and beverage products.

Reference:
[1] Saris NE, Mervaala E, Karppanen H, Khawaja JA, Lewenstam A. Magnesium. An update on physiological, clinical and analytical aspects. Clin Chim Acta 2000;294:1-26