Magnesium

Magnesium is the chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. Magnesium is the eighth most abundant element and constitutes about 2% of the Earth's crust by weight, and it is the third most plentiful element dissolved in seawater. This alkaline earth metal is primarily used as an alloying agent to make aluminium-magnesium alloys, sometimes called "magnalium" or "magnelium".

Compounds in living organisms

Organic magnesium is important in both plant and animal life. Chlorophylls are magnesium-centered porphyrins.

Related Topics:
Plant - Animal - Chlorophyll - Porphyrin

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The adult daily nutritional requirement, which is affected by various factors including gender, weight and size, is 300-400 mg/day. Many enzymes require the presence of magnesium ions for their catalytic action, especially enzymes utilizing ATP. Inadequate magnesium intake frequently causes muscle spasms, and has been associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and osteoporosis. Acute deficiency is rare. It is never due to an insufficiency of food contribution. It is the fact of various specific diseases whose majority are rare.

Related Topics:
Mg - Enzyme - ATP - Spasm - Cardiovascular disease - Diabetes - High blood pressure - Osteoporosis

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