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    Ingredient guide · Ingredient reference

    Beer contains some magnesium, but it is not a magnesium remedy

    A reference can of regular beer supplies about 21 mg magnesium. That small nutrient contribution does not cancel alcohol-related risks or establish a reason to drink.

    Read the evidence ↓

    Supplement Science Insights Editorial Team

    Published September 23, 2026

    The reference amount in beer

    USDA SR Legacy lists regular beer at 6 mg magnesium per 100 g and light beer at 5 mg. The regular-beer record gives a 356 g can, which supplies about 21.36 mg. These are historical category estimates; strength, formulation and serving size vary. [1]

    Alcohol and magnesium status are separate questions

    NIH ODS identifies chronic alcohol dependence as a risk setting for magnesium deficiency. Poor intake, gastrointestinal losses and increased urinary losses can contribute. This does not allow a calculation that one particular drink removes a fixed amount of magnesium, but it does explain why finding magnesium in beer is not evidence that drinking treats deficiency. [2]

    A hypothetical comparison without a drinking recommendation

    At the same 300 g beverage weight, the reference figures are 18 mg for regular beer and 15 mg for light beer. That calculation compares composition only. It does not compare total health effects, and increasing alcohol intake to obtain a mineral is not supported by these data. Magnesium can be obtained from ordinary foods without using alcoholic drinks. [1][2]

    Hypothetical example — apply reference composition to specified hypothetical portions
    Hypothetical 300 g beverageMagnesium
    Regular beer18 mg
    Light beer15 mg
    Beer contains some magnesium, but it is not a magnesium remedy — original article outline diagram
    Original editorial diagram of this article’s sections; no product photograph or clinical finding is depicted.

    Sources for this article

    1. USDA FoodData Central — SR Legacy April 2018 composition and portion tables
      Source consulted: 2026-09-20. This is a reference resource, not a claim that we conducted the studies or tested a product.
    2. Magnesium - Health Professional Fact Sheet
      Source consulted: 2026-09-20. This is a reference resource, not a claim that we conducted the studies or tested a product.