Flink E B
West J Med. 1980 Oct;133(4):304-12.
The absolute necessity for magnesium in plant and animal nutrition is easily appreciated when one realizes that magnesium is found in high concentration in cells. It is necessary for photosynthesis in plants and for all reactions involving adenosine triphosphate in plant and animal cells. Although it is abundant in nature in general, deficiencies occur in both plants and animals. Human beings need about 5 mg of magnesium per kg of body weight per day. Infants and young children need twice as much. Children and women during pregnancy or lactation require significantly greater amounts than normal adults. Various diseases result in a deficiency of magnesium because of interruption of food intake or intestinal or renal wasting of the mineral.
当人们认识到镁在细胞中大量存在时，就很容易理解镁在动植物营养中是绝对必需的。它对植物的光合作用以及动植物细胞中所有涉及三磷酸腺苷的反应都是必需的。尽管总体而言镁在自然界中含量丰富，但动植物都会出现缺乏的情况。人类每天每千克体重需要约5毫克镁。婴儿和幼儿的需求量是其两倍。儿童以及孕期或哺乳期的女性比正常成年人需要的量要多得多。由于食物摄入中断或该矿物质在肠道或肾脏的流失，各种疾病会导致镁缺乏。
