Magnesium Deficiency Results in Oxidation and Fragmentation of DNA, Down Regulation of Telomerase Activity, and Ceramide Release in Cardiovascular Tissues and Cells: Potential Relationship to Atherogenesis, Cardiovascular Diseases and Aging

Currently, there is a widespread number of deaths, particularly in the USA, from ingestion/imbibing a combination of heroin and fentanyl. Young and old adults are becoming rapidly addicted to this drug combination. Many of these victims believe they are being sold heroin unaware that the latter is often "laced" with fentanyl. Until now, the mechanism(s) for inducing coma followed by death has been thought to be respiratory and cardiac failure. However, new evidence from human and experimental animal studies, reviewed herein, indicates a major underlying cause of euphoria, hallucinations, coma and death is a consequence of cerebrovascular actions in the cerebrum, medulla, and hippocampus which appears to be brought about by rapid, intracellular reduction in free magnesium ions coupled to elevation in cellular and blood levels of ceramides and platelet-activating factor.

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Potential Roles of Magnesium Deficiency in Inflammation and Atherogenesis: Importance and Cross-talk of Platelet-Activating Factor and Ceramide

Bm¹

2016

J Clin Exp Cardiolog

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Epidemiologic studies in North America and Europe have shown that people consuming Western-type diets are low in magnesium (Mg) content (i.e., < 30 -65% of the RDA for Mg); most such diets in the USA show that 60 -80% of Americans are consuming only 185 -235 mg/day of Mg. Low Mg content in areas of soft-water, and Mg-poor soil, is associated with high incidences of ischemic heart disease (IHD), coronary artery disease, hypertension, and sudden cardiac death (SCD). It is clear that the leading underlying cause of death worldwide is atherosclerosis. Importantly, both animal and human studies have shown an inverse relationship between dietary intake of Mg and atherosclerosis. The myocardial level of Mg has consistently been observed to be lower in subjects dying from IHD and SCD in soft-water areas than those in hard-water areas. Over the past 20 years, our laboratories, using several types of primary cultured vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells, and myocardial cells, demonstrated that declining levels of extracellular Mg ([Mg 2+ ] 0 ) activated several enzymatic pathways to produce increases in cellular sphingolipids, particularly ceramides which are known to exert numerous types of cardiovascular manifestations including inflammatory effects ; the latter play important roles in atherogenesis and cardiovascular diseases. Approximately 20 years ago, we reported that low [Mg 2+ ] 0 caused formation of platelet-activating factor (PAF) as well as other types of PAF-like molecules and suggested that these molecules might be causative agents in low Mg 2+ -induced IHD and SCD. Herein, we review results and data from our labs which strongly support roles for ceramides, PAF and PAF-like lipids in low [Mg 2+ ] 0 -induced IHD and SCD.

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Magnesium Deficiency Results in Oxidation and Fragmentation of DNA, Down Regulation of Telomerase Activity, and Ceramide Release in Cardiovascular Tissues and Cells: Potential Relationship to Atherogenesis, Cardiovascular Diseases and Aging

Cited by 6 publications

References 61 publications

Why is Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation Difficult to Prevent and Treat: Potential Roles of Unrecognized Magnesium Deficiency and Release of Ceramide and Platelet-Activating Factor

Why is Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation Difficult to Prevent and Treat: Potential Roles of Unrecognized Magnesium Deficiency and Release of Ceramide and Platelet-Activating Factor

Why There is an Increased Number of Deaths from Heroin Mixed with Fentanyl in the USA: Potential Roles of Unrecognized Hypomagnesemia and Elevated Levels of Ceramides and Platelet-Activating Factor Particularly in Brain Stem Area and Potential Relationship to Euphoria and Hallucinations

Potential Roles of Magnesium Deficiency in Inflammation and Atherogenesis: Importance and Cross-talk of Platelet-Activating Factor and Ceramide

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