Role of cellular magnesium in health and human disease

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to discuss, on the basis of an extensive literature review, the role of magnesium in health and disease. Magnesium is an essential cation playing a crucial role in many physiological functions. It is critical in energy-requiring metabolic processes, in protein synthesis, membrane integrity, nervous tissue conduction, neuromuscular excitability, muscle contraction, hormone secretion, and in intermediary metabolism. Serum magnesium concentration is maintained within a narrow range by the small intestine and kidney which both increase their fractional magnesium absorption under conditions of magnesium deprivation. If magnesium depletion continues, the bone store helps to maintain serum magnesium concentration by exchanging part of its content with extracellular fluid. The abundance of magnesium within cells is consistent with its relevant role in regulating tissue and cell functions. Recent data suggest that large fluxes of magnesium can cross the cell plasma membrane in either direction following a variety of hormonal and non-hormonal stimuli, resulting in major changes in total and, to a lesser extent, in free magnesium content within tissues. Imbalances of magnesium are common and are associated with a great number of pathological situations responsible for human morbidity and mortality. A large part of the population may have an inadequate magnesium intake, and in particular elderly subjects and athletes may be prone to chronic latent magnesium deficiency. Magnesium deficit is frequently observed in alcoholics and diabetic patients, in whom a combination of factors contributes to its pathogenesis. We will discuss some of the aspects of the involvement of magnesium in the etiology of some pathological situations, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, sickle cell disease and chronic alcoholism.

Simultaneous Quantification of Cells and Nanomaterials by Inductive-Coupled Plasma Techniques

“…Mg 2+ is one of the most abundant divalent metal ions in cells, participating in many cellular processes and the regulation of hundreds of enzymatic reactions. 11 For example, Mg ions bind to polymerases and act as a cofactor in DNA and RNA synthesis. Also, intracellular magnesium concentration is similar for both apoptotic and intact cells.…”

Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for magnesium

“…Of this, about 60 % is in bone (Swaminathan, 2003;Musso, 2009), either strongly bound to apatite, where it is difficult to mobilise, or loosely adsorbed at the surface of mineral crystals, where it can be easily mobilised in response to variation in dietary supply (Laires et al, 2004). About 25 % of body magnesium is in muscle, where mitochondria are considered to be the intracellular storage site (Kubota et al, 2005;Wolf and Trapani, 2008).…”

A Comparative Assessment of Serum Vitamin C and Serum Lead Among Periodontitis and Diabetic Patient

“…Any tissue damage or infection is diagnosed by clinical effect present in one and subclinical infection will be predictable by measuring biomarkers of inflammation [5]. In spite of knowing that nutrition plays an important role in improving the health and overall wellbeing in patients who are diabetic or a common oral condition like chronic periodontitis [1,3] it is hardly ever measured in clinical situations. In this study we have made an effort to associate the pre and post treatment values of serum lead and vitamin C in patients having long lasting periodontitis and T2DM.…”

“…Pre-and post-operative nutritional status is a predictive biomarker during delayed wound healing and undesirable short term complications development [1,2]. Increased risk of infection and tissue damage is seen in patients suffering from longstanding diabetes mellitus [3].…”