NOAEL from the rat study and due to the low margin of safety the Panel considers this of safety concern. The Panel estimates that the exposure to aspartate from these food supplements should be added to the aspartate exposure arising from the diet. Based on US data, estimates of the mean exposure to aspartic acid arising from the diet are 4.1 g/day (children 1-3 year old) to 9.3 g/day (males 19-30 year old) and at the 95th percentile 6.6 g/day (children 4-8 year old) to 12.9 g/day (males 19-50 year old). Under these conditions, estimates of maximum daily exposure to aspartate ions from the diet (13 g/day) and from calcium or magnesium aspartate supplements would be approximately 19 g/day6, and from potassium aspartate would be 17 g/day. Aspartate exposure estimates from zinc or copper supplementation would not significantly change aspartate exposure from the diet. Taken individually these levels of exposure are lower than those reported to induce amino acid imbalance in intervention trials, when aspartate exposure from the diet is also taken into consideration (19.3 g/day). However, when considering the potential total intake of aspartic ions arising from the diet and from a potential multi-mineral combination of all food supplements the exposure could add up to 29 g/day. In line with the SCF concerns, the Panel considers that the use of L-amino acids in food supplements should not give rise to a nutritional imbalance of the amino acids. Thus the Panel concludes that under these conditions aspartate ion exposure from a multi-mineral combination of this type could be of safety concern. References External links Magnesium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals Magnesium: University of Maryland Medical Center Micronutrient Information Center Magnesium in the Diet Magnesium compounds Salts of carboxylic acids