Magnesium-Rich Food May Help Keep Kids' Bones Strong

Magnesium may be as crucial to children's bone health as calcium, according to a small, early study. While it's known that magnesium is important for adults' bone health, few studies have examined the nutrient's role in children's bones. This study found a significant association between magnesium intake and absorption, and bone density in children. "Lots of nutrients are key for children to have healthy bones. One of these appears to be magnesium," lead author Dr. Steven Abrams, a professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, said in an American Academy of Pediatrics news release. "Calcium is important, but, except for those children and adolescents with very low intakes, may not be more important than magnesium." http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_136604.html