Magnesium in milk

This review draws attention to the significance of magnesium in milk, both the technical and human health aspects. Magnesium has been subject to less research than calcium in both aspects. Magnesium is present in cows' milk in ∼10% of the concentration of calcium. About two-thirds of the magnesium is soluble, whereas about one third of calcium is soluble. Although magnesium is less significant than calcium in dairy systems, it warrants more investigation. Magnesium plays numerous physiological roles in the human body and is implicated in many critical health issues such as metabolic syndrome and skeletal muscle loss. Despite its well-established significance in health, magnesium is often reported as an under-consumed nutrient. Milk and dairy products are already one of the main sources of dietary magnesium. There is an opportunity to develop milk and dairy products as efficient vehicles for supplementary dietary magnesium delivery with more research into fortification options.