Magnesium absorption is dependent on two concomitant pathways found in both in the intestine and the kidneys: passive paracellular transport via claudins facilitates bulk magnesium absorption, whereas active transcellular pathways mediate the fine-tuning of magnesium absorption.
Three organs are responsible for maintaining normal magnesium levels, including your: Small and large intestines, which absorb magnesium from the food you eat. Bones, which are the main storage system for magnesium. Kidneys, which are responsible for the excretion (release) of magnesium through your pee.
Every organ in the body, especially the heart, muscles, and kidneys, needs the mineral magnesium. It also contributes to the makeup of teeth and bones. Magnesium is needed for many functions in the body. This includes the physical and chemical processes in the body that convert or use energy (metabolism).
In the healthy adult, there is no net gain or loss of magnesium from bone so that balance is achieved by the urinary excretion of the approximately 100 mg (4.1 mmol) that is absorbed. Changes in intake are balanced by changes in urinary magnesium reabsorption, principally in the loop of Henle and the distal tubule.
Regulation of magnesium transport in the kidney occurs primarily in the TAL and DCT. In the TAL, both magnesium and calcium can activate the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) on the basolateral membrane and modulate paracellular magnesium transport 58.
Hypomagnesemia associates with inflammation and risk of diabetes and hypertension, which may contribute to kidney function decline. We hypothesized that low serum magnesium (SMg) levels independently associate with a significant decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).
Chronic low magnesium state has been associated with a number of chronic diseases including diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and osteoporosis. The use of magnesium as a therapeutic agent in asthma, myocardial infarction, and pre-eclampsia is also discussed.
Magnesium supplements can cause excessive accumulation of magnesium in the blood, especially with patients who have chronic kidney disease. Accumulation of magnesium in the blood can cause muscle weakness, but does not damage the kidney directly.
Magnesium deficiency can cause: loss of appetite. nausea and vomiting. fatigue and weakness.
Treatment for low magnesium levels includes oral (by mouth) magnesium supplements (magnesium oxide pills). If your levels are especially low or cause symptoms, intravenous (IV) magnesium is a better option.
Magnesium status is closely linked with liver function. Liver diseases have a significant effect on body magnesium content, and magnesium levels in turn influence these disease processes.
Its homeostasis involves dietary intake, absorption, uptake and release from bone, swifts between the intra- and extracellular compartment, and renal excretion. Renal excretion is mainly responsible for regulation of magnesium balance.
Patients with liver cirrhosis usually have low body magnesium levels (12-14). Since our understanding of the mechanisms involved in magnesium homeostasis has improved, it has been shown that both serum and cellular magnesium levels are significantly lower in cirrhosis patients (3).
Tips for improving magnesium absorption
reducing or avoiding calcium-rich foods two hours before or after eating magnesium-rich foods. avoiding high-dose zinc supplements. treating vitamin D deficiency. eating raw vegetables instead of cooking them.
Chronic magnesium deficiency is often associated with normal serum magnesium despite deficiency in cells and in bone; the response to oral supplementation is slow and may take up to 40 weeks to reach a steady state.
Since you can't properly metabolize vitamin D without the right level of magnesium, taking vitamin D by itself may not fix a deficiency. Taking vitamin D in large doses can also deplete magnesium, leading to a deficiency or making an existing one worse.
Very low magnesium levels may cause:
Nausea. Constipation. Headaches. Nighttime leg cramps.
Mg intake may only be related to reduced odds of fatty liver disease and prediabetes in those whose Ca intake is less than 1200 mg/d. Mg intake may also only be associated with reduced odds of fatty liver disease among alcohol drinkers.
Magnesium can decrease the absorption and effectiveness of numerous medications, including some common antibiotics such as tetracycline (Achromycin, Sumycin), demeclocycline (Declomycin), doxycycline (Vibramycin), minocycline (Minocin), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), levofloxacin (Levaquin), moxifloxacin (Avelox) and ofloxacin ...
Magnesium can bind with certain medications, preventing their full absorption. If you are taking a tetracycline-type medication (such as demeclocycline, doxycycline, minocycline, tetracycline), separate the time of the dose from the time of the magnesium supplement dose by at least 2 to 3 hours.
Thus, the elderly population is especially at risk of magnesium deficiency due to low intake but also increased risk for chronic diseases that predispose to magnesium deficiency (ageing also reduces magnesium absorption from the diet, ie, achlorhydria).
Hypokalemia and Hyperkalemia
Magnesium depletion typically occurs after diuretic use, sustained alcohol consumption, or diabetic ketoacidosis.
Lu et al. found that higher intakes of Mg during adulthood is related to a lower risk of NAFLD in middle age [22]. Moreover, in another study, subjects with NAFLD or alcoholic fatty liver were at higher risk of developing magnesium deficiency [39].