The Facts:
* A clinical trial in Brazil looked at the effect of magnesium supplements in asthmatic children.
* 37 children aged 7–19 years took either magnesium or a placebo (dummy drug) for 2 months in addition to an inhaled corticosteroid.
* At the end of the study the children who took magnesium had fewer asthma attacks, used less rescue medicine and had fewer allergic reactions.
Shaun’s comment: Having spent most of the last 8 years undertaking asthma research, this study is of particular interest to me. Studies have shown that magnesium is of benefit during acute, severe asthma attacks and it is sometimes given under these circumstances in the emergency department. Around 1 in 5 children have asthma in New Zealand and the prevalence may be increasing. This was a small study but the results are very encouraging. Larger studies are needed before magnesium can be strongly recommended for children with asthma, but it could be worth trying at this stage if your child’s asthma is poorly controlled.
Study Reference:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602475
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