Magnesium Supplementation Guidelines for Children

Parenteral Magnesium Dosing

• The European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) guidelines recommend parenteral magnesium supplementation for children requiring parenteral nutrition, with weight-based recommendations of 0.1-0.2 mmol/kg/day (2.5-5.0 mg/kg/day) for preterm infants in the first days of life 1, 3
• The ESPGHAN/ESPEN guidelines suggest 0.2-0.3 mmol/kg/day (5.0-7.5 mg/kg/day) for growing premature infants 1
• For infants 0-6 months, the recommended dose is 0.1-0.2 mmol/kg/day (2.4-5 mg/kg/day) 1
• Infants 7-12 months should receive 0.15 mmol/kg/day (4 mg/kg/day) 1
• Children 1-18 years require 0.1 mmol/kg/day (2.4 mg/kg/day) 1
• In preterm infants whose mothers received magnesium sulfate therapy, magnesium intakes must be adapted to postnatal blood concentrations due to elevated magnesium levels and limited renal excretion capacity in the first week of life 2, 3