How much magnesium per day for children? Daily requirement and dosage by age

Parents who look into magnesium quickly run into one very specific question: how much magnesium does my child actually need per day – and is that the same as the dose stated on a food supplement? This is exactly where confusion often arises, because the daily requirement and the recommended dosage of a supplement are two different things.

Magnesium is an essential mineral that the body cannot produce itself and that has to be obtained from food. Among other things, it contributes to normal muscle function and normal functioning of the nervous system, to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to the maintenance of normal bones.¹ How much of it a child needs depends above all on age and rises steadily as the child grows.²

In this guide you will find a clear table of the daily magnesium requirement by age group, a clear distinction between daily requirement and supplement dosage, and answers to the questions of when additional intake makes sense at all and what parents should look out for. We deliberately leave out the symptoms and causes of a deficiency here – we cover those in our article Recognising magnesium deficiency in children.

Overview of all topics

How much magnesium do children need per day? (Table by age)

How much magnesium a child needs each day depends on age. The nutrition societies of Germany, Austria and Switzerland publish so-called D-A-CH reference values (estimated values for adequate intake). These refer to total daily intake from all foods – not to the amount in a food supplement.²

As a rough guide for questions about a specific age: a 5-year-old child needs around 190 mg per day, an 8-year-old around 240 mg per day.²

Two principles are important here:

• Supplement, don't replace: A food supplement is meant to supplement the diet when the requirement is not otherwise met – it does not replace a balanced, varied diet.

• Dose in moderation: There are recommended maximum amounts for magnesium from food supplements, to avoid unwanted effects such as soft stools.³ ⁴ Especially with children, the dose should be geared to the age-appropriate requirement and not increased on one's own initiative.

If you are unsure how high your child's requirement is or whether supplementation makes sense at all, the paediatrician is the right place to turn.

Magnesium requirement in adolescents

With the onset of puberty, the magnesium requirement rises significantly, because growth, muscle development and metabolism increase. Adolescents come close to adult levels: for the 15 to under 19 age group, the reference value is around 330 mg per day for boys and 260 mg per day for girls.² For comparison: for adults, around 350 mg (men) and 300 mg (women) per day are given.²

Especially during phases of lots of sport or rapid growth, it is worth paying attention to a magnesium-rich diet – but here too, the requirement can usually be met through food.²

How is the requirement met through diet?

Magnesium is found in many everyday foods. Good sources include wholegrain products, oats, pulses, nuts and seeds, green vegetables and, in some cases, mineral-rich water.¹ ² With a varied, balanced diet, children's daily magnesium requirement can be met in the vast majority of cases without additional supplements.²

A balanced diet is therefore the foundation of magnesium supply – food supplements can complement it where needed, but they do not replace it.

Daily requirement is not the same as supplement dosage

A key point that is often overlooked: the daily requirement describes how much magnesium a child should take in per day in total, from all sources. The dosage of a food supplement, on the other hand, describes only the additional amount supplied – and this is usually much smaller than the daily requirement, because the largest part is already covered by the diet.

In other words: if a reference value of 170 mg per day applies to an age group, this does not mean that a child should take an additional 170 mg via a supplement. A sensibly dosed supplement provides only part of the requirement, to close a possible gap. Supplemental magnesium from preparations is also subject to its own maximum amounts, which apply independently of the daily requirement.³ ⁴

When can additional intake make sense?

Since the requirement is normally met through diet, supplementation is not automatically necessary. There are, however, situations in which additional intake can be considered in consultation with the paediatrician – for example with a very one-sided diet, during phases of greatly increased need, or if a doctor has identified an inadequate supply.

Which magnesium compound is suitable for children and how citrate, bisglycinate and oxide differ, we explain in detail in our article: Which magnesium is suitable for children?

Should children take magnesium at all?

Around this topic, the question often comes up of whether children are allowed to take magnesium at all. Here the answer is clear: there is no general ban on magnesium for children. The caution that resonates in such questions has three understandable reasons above all:

• For most children the requirement is already met through diet, so supplementation is often simply not necessary.²

• Excessive intake from supplements can lead to soft stools – a reason to keep the dose moderate and age-appropriate.³

• Supplements are not automatically suitable for every age; the age labelling of the specific product must be observed.

So supplementation makes sense not across the board, but when there is an actual need – ideally after consulting the paediatrician.

From what age are magnesium supplements an option?

There is no uniform age limit – what matters is the age labelling of the specific product. Many food supplements are only intended from a certain age, for example because the dosage form and dosage are designed for older children. For younger children, diet should always come first and supplementation should only take place after consulting a doctor.

As a guide: first check the product's age suitability and recommended intake, then align the dosage with the age-appropriate requirement.

Can too much magnesium be a problem?

Through a normal diet, an oversupply of magnesium is very unlikely, since excess magnesium is excreted via the kidneys.¹ It is different with supplements: too high an additional intake can lead to soft stools or even diarrhoea. The cause is an osmotic effect – unabsorbed magnesium binds water in the gut.³

That is why there is a derived maximum amount of 250 mg per day for supplemental magnesium from food supplements (for children from around 4 years and adults), which refers exclusively to supplements.³ ⁴ For children this means: the dosage should always be geared to the requirement and not increased on one's own initiative.

What should parents look out for when dosing?

From the interplay of age, requirement and tolerability, a simple guide emerges:

• Go by age: The portion size should match the age-appropriate reference value.²

• Separate daily requirement and supplement dose: A supplement is meant to close a gap, not to cover the entire daily requirement.

• Keep the maximum amount in mind: Additional magnesium from supplements should not exceed the derived maximum amount.³ ⁴

• Check the age labelling: Only use products intended for your child's age.

• If in doubt, check with a doctor: Especially with younger children or uncertainty about the requirement.

If supplementation makes sense and a child-friendly format is called for, the wowtamins Magnesium Gummies can be a practical option: they contain magnesium citrate and provide 100 mg of elemental magnesium per gummy – in sugar-free form. Magnesium contributes, among other things, to normal muscle function and normal functioning of the nervous system.¹ You will find the exact recommended intake and age suitability on the product page.

Frequently asked questions about children's magnesium requirement

How much magnesium does a 5-year-old child need per day?

For children aged 4 to under 7, the reference value for magnesium is around 190 mg per day – based on total intake from food.

How much magnesium does an 8-year-old child need per day?

For children aged 7 to under 10, the reference value is around 240 mg per day. This requirement can usually be met through a balanced diet.

Is the daily requirement the same as the dosage of a supplement?

No. The daily requirement refers to total daily intake from all sources. A food supplement provides only part of this, to close a possible gap – and is additionally subject to its own maximum amount.

Are children allowed to take magnesium at all?

There is no general ban. What matters is an age-appropriate dosage, the product's age labelling and the actual need. Whether intake makes sense is best clarified with a doctor.

Can you overdose on magnesium?

Through diet, this is very unlikely. With supplements, excessive intake can lead to soft stools or diarrhoea. That is why maximum amounts apply to supplemental magnesium, and the dosage should remain moderate.

From what age are magnesium supplements suitable?

That depends on the specific product – the age labelling is decisive. For younger children, diet should come first and supplementation should only take place after consulting a doctor.

Legal classification and scientifically verified effects

In accordance with the European Health Claims Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 and the list of authorised health claims (Regulation (EU) No 432/2012), the following physiological functions, among others, are scientifically substantiated and legally authorised for magnesium:⁶ ⁷

• Magnesium contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

• Magnesium contributes to electrolyte balance.

• Magnesium contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.

• Magnesium contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system.

• Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function.

• Magnesium contributes to normal protein synthesis.

• Magnesium contributes to normal psychological function.

• Magnesium contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and teeth.

• Magnesium has a role in the process of cell division.

These substantiated claims refer to the physiological function of an adequate magnesium supply and do not constitute a promise of cure or treatment of disease. The basis of a good supply is a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle; food supplements merely complement these. If there is any uncertainty about the child's supply, medical advice should be sought.

Sources

1. de Baaij, J. H. F., Hoenderop, J. G. J. & Bindels, R. J. M. (2015): Magnesium in Man: Implications for Health and Disease. Physiological Reviews, 95(1), 1–46.

2. German Nutrition Society (DGE), Austrian Nutrition Society (ÖGE), Swiss Society for Nutrition (SGE): D-A-CH reference values for nutrient intake – Magnesium.

3. Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) / EFSA: Tolerable Upper Intake Level for magnesium (derived maximum amount of 250 mg/day for additional magnesium from food supplements, from around 4 years).

4. German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR): Maximum levels for magnesium in food supplements.

5. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), NDA Panel (2015): Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for magnesium. EFSA Journal, 13(7):4186.

6. Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on nutrition and health claims made on foods.

7. Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods, other than those referring to the reduction of disease risk and to children's development and health.