A white to off-white powder or granulate. It may be anhydrous,
or as the dihydrate, or a mixture of both. It is very soluble in water
and is sparingly soluble in alcohol. It is insoluble in ether.
Magnesium gluconate is included on a partial listing of substances
presumed to be GRAS by FDA but not published. Some uses of
magnesium salts include firming agents, lubricants, flavor enhancers, and processing aids.
Magnesium is an essential nutrient for plants and animals and is
a natural constituent of fruits, vegetables, grain, meats and sea
foods. It is the fourth most abundant cation in the human body
and the second most plentiful intracellularly. The average 60-kg
human adult body contains about 24 g magnesium of which about
one-half resides in bone. Although plasma levels vary between 1.7
and 3.0 mg per dl, very little is contained in extracellular fluid.
Magnesium is essential for the production and transfer of energy,
for protein, fat, and nucleic acid synthesis, for contractility in
muscle and excitability in nerve, and for the activity of numerous
enzyme systems.
