Final evidence report as part of preparatory work for the setting of Dietary Reference Values for magnesium, copper, and phosphorus

As part of its mandate from the European Commission, EFSA must review existing advice from the Scientific Committee for Food (SCF) on Dietary Reference Values (DRVs) for energy, macro- and micronutrients and other substances with a nutritional or physiological effect, including magnesium, copper and phosphorus. This report summaries current general scientific information for the micronutrients magnesium, copper and phosphorus collated as part of preparatory work for the setting of DRVs by the NDA Panel. Data has been collated via a literature review of published, peer reviewed scientific literature from two online databases: Google Scholar and PubMed. Information contained within a total of 183 documents for magnesium, 181 documents for copper and 167 documents for phosphorus have been evaluated and included. As well as describing the methodological approach, this report covers the occurrence, geology and chemistry of magnesium, copper and phosphorus; approaches to and limitations of the chemical analysis of clinical samples; the biological functions of magnesium, copper and phosphorus and an overview of the health consequences of magnesium, copper and phosphorus deficiency. In addition, magnesium, copper and phosphorus physiology and metabolism in healthy adults, biomarkers of intake, status and function and genotypes affecting metabolism are covered.