• Reference Number: HEY1438/2024
• Departments: Dietetics, Nutrition Support, Renal Service
• Last Updated: 29 February 2024

Introduction

You have been asked to increase the amount of magnesium in your diet as your blood levels of magnesium have been found to be low. This information leaflet will give you ideas on how to increase the amount of magnesium in your diet.

What is magnesium and why do we need it?

Magnesium is a naturally occurring mineral that helps turn the food we eat into energy.  It is important for many systems in the body, especially for muscles and nerves.

What causes low magnesium

There are many reasons why magnesium levels can be low and these can include:

• malnutrition
• diarrhoea
• diseases affecting the digestive tract (eg Coeliac disease, Crohn’s disease)
• diabetes
• disorders of the parathyroid gland
• taking certain medications (indigestion medicine, water tablets, digoxin). Check with your GP, pharmacist or nurse if this is a concern.

How can I increase my magnesium levels?

A list of foods high in magnesium is provided below. Eating more of these foods may help to raise your magnesium levels.

PLEASE NOTE

If are you following another diet for medical reasons, eg low residue, low potassium, diabetes, Coeliac disease, etc. it is important to discuss this with your healthcare provider or dietitian and to continue to follow that diet.

Foods high in magnesium

Try to include some of these foods regularly

Fruit

Avocado, pineapple, bananas, raisins, orange juice, dates, plums and raspberries.

Seeds & Nuts

Almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, walnuts, Brazil nuts, Pumpkin seeds, Chia seeds and Sunflower seeds.

Starchy Foods

Pearl barley, brown rice, baked potato with skin, wholegrain breakfast cereals, oats, wholemeal bread, whole wheat pasta, couscous and egg noodles.

Vegetables & Pulses

Sweetcorn, lentils, baked beans, kidney beans, parsnips, green leafy vegetables, peas, chickpeas and broccoli.

Meat, fish and alternatives

Salmon, halibut, crab, haddock, cod, chicken, pollock, turkey, tuna, beef, tofu and lambs kidneys.

Dairy & Alternatives

Yoghurt, soya milk and cow’s milk.

Should you require further advice, please do not hesitate to contact the Dietetics Department on tel: 01482 674490

General Advice and Consent

Most of your questions should have been answered by this leaflet, but remember that this is only a starting point for discussion with the healthcare team.

Consent to treatment

Before any doctor, nurse or therapist examines or treats you, they must seek your consent or permission. In order to make a decision, you need to have information from health professionals about the treatment or investigation which is being offered to you. You should always ask them more questions if you do not understand or if you want more information.

The information you receive should be about your condition, the alternatives available to you, and whether it carries risks as well as the benefits. What is important is that your consent is genuine or valid. That means:

• you must be able to give your consent
• you must be given enough information to enable you to make a decision
• you must be acting under your own free will and not under the strong influence of another person

Information about you

We collect and use your information to provide you with care and treatment. As part of your care, information about you will be shared between members of a healthcare team, some of whom you may not meet. Your information may also be used to help train staff, to check the quality of our care, to manage and plan the health service, and to help with research. Wherever possible we use anonymous data.

We may pass on relevant information to other health organisations that provide you with care. All information is treated as strictly confidential and is not given to anyone who does not need it. If you have any concerns please ask your doctor, or the person caring for you.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 we are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any information we hold about you. For further information visit the following page: Confidential Information about You.

If you or your carer needs information about your health and wellbeing and about your care and treatment in a different format, such as large print, braille or audio, due to disability, impairment or sensory loss, please advise a member of staff and this can be arranged.