Basic studies need to be initiated in healthy individuals, including experimental magnesium depletion studies that measure changes in various body magnesium pools.

Magnesium balance studies may be one indicator utilized. If so, strict adherence to criteria suggested in the chapter would improve their application to dietary recommendations. Moreover, a determination of the most valid units to use in expressing estimates of requirements (body weight, fat-free mass, or total body unit) is needed.

Investigations are needed to assess the inter-relationships between dietary magnesium intakes, indicators of magnesium status, and possible health outcomes that may be affected by inadequate magnesium intakes, such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, atherosclerotic vascular disease, altered bone turnover, and osteoporosis.

Based on the evidence of abnormal magnesium status and health outcomes (as noted above), intervention studies to improve magnesium status and to assess its impact on specific health outcomes would be appropriate.

The toxicity of pharmacological doses of magnesium requires investigation.