This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by FATEMI, S. Articles by RUDE, R. K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by FATEMI, S. Articles by RUDE, R. K.

Effect of Experimental Human Magnesium Depletion on Parathyroid Hormone Secretion and 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D Metabolism^*

Department of Medicine, University of Southern California School of Medicine, and the Orthopedic Hospital/University of Southern California Bone Tissue Research Laboratories Los Angeles, California 90039

Address requests for reprints to: Robert K. Rude, M.D., University of Southern California/Los Angeles County Medical Center, 2025 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90039.

Magnesium (Mg) deficiency in man may result in hypocalcemia, impaired PTH secretion, and low serum concentrations of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25-(OH)₂D]. To determine whether these changes are due to selective Mg depletion, we studied 26 normal subjects before and after a 3-week low Mg (<1 meq/day) diet. This diet induced Mg deficiency, as demonstrated by a fall in pre- to postdiet serum Mg levels from 0.80 ± 0.01 to 0.61 ± 0.02 mmol/L (P < 0.001), an increase in Mg retention from 11 ± 4% to 62 ± 4% (P < 0.001), and a fall in red blood cell free Mg²⁺ from 205 ± 10 to 162 ± 7 µM (P < 0.001). Serum calcium (Ca) fell significantly from 2.36 ± 0.02 to 2.31 ± 0.03 mmol/L (P < 0.05), and serum 1,25-(OH)₂D fell from 55 ± 4 to 43 ± 3 pmol/L (P < 0.05). PTH secretion was impaired, as demonstrated by a fall or no change in serum PTH in 20 of 26 subjects despite a fall in the serum Ca and Mg. In addition, an iv injection of Mg in eight subjects after the diet resulted in a significant rise in PTH from 15 ± 2 to 19 ± 2 ng/L (P < 0.01), whereas a similar injection given to six of the subjects before the diet resulted in a significant fall from 28 ± 5 to 13 ± 3 ng/L (P < 0.001). The fall in serum 1,25-(OH)₂D may be due to both the decrease in PTH secretion and a renal resistance to PTH. PTH resistance was suggested, as no increase in serum 1,25-(OH)₂D was observed in the six subjects in which the PTH concentration rose by mean of 68% after the diet. Also, the rise in serum 1,25-(OH)₂D after a 6-h human PTH-(l–34) infusion was significantly less after Mg deprivation. The results demonstrate that mild Mg depletion can impair mineral homeostasis and may be implicated as risk factor for osteoporosis in disorders such as chronic alcoholism and diabetes mellitus, in which Mg deficiency and osteoporosis are both common.

^* This work was supported by USPHS General Clinical Research Center Grant RR-43 and funds from the Orthopedic Hospital.

Received November 26, 1990.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. K. Rude, F. R. Singer, and H. E. Gruber Skeletal and Hormonal Effects of Magnesium Deficiency J. Am. Coll. Nutr., April 1, 2009; 28(2): 131 - 141. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Philibert, S. Desmeules, A. Filion, M. Poirier, and M. Agharazii Incidence and severity of early electrolyte abnormalities following autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation Nephrol. Dial. Transplant., January 1, 2008; 23(1): 359 - 363. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J Nightingale, J M Woodward, and on behalf of the Small Bowel and Nutrition Committ Guidelines for management of patients with a short bowel. Gut, August 1, 2006; 55(suppl_4): iv1 - iv12. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. D. Kraft, I. F. Btaiche, and G. S. Sacks Review of the Refeeding Syndrome Nutr Clin Pract, December 1, 2005; 20(6): 625 - 633. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. D. Kraft, I. F. Btaiche, G. S. Sacks, and K. A. Kudsk Treatment of electrolyte disorders in adult patients in the intensive care unit Am. J. Health Syst. Pharm., August 15, 2005; 62(16): 1663 - 1682. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. K. Rude, H. E. Gruber, H. J. Norton, L. Y. Wei, A. Frausto, and B. G. Mills Bone Loss Induced by Dietary Magnesium Reduction to 10% of the Nutrient Requirement in Rats Is Associated with Increased Release of Substance P and Tumor Necrosis Factor-{alpha} J. Nutr., January 1, 2004; 134(1): 79 - 85. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K V Haderslev, P B Jeppesen, H A Sorensen, P B Mortensen, and M Staun Vitamin D status and measurements of markers of bone metabolism in patients with small intestinal resection Gut, May 1, 2003; 52(5): 653 - 658. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				Z. S. AGUS Hypomagnesemia J. Am. Soc. Nephrol., July 1, 1999; 10(7): 1616 - 1622. [Full Text]

				H.-P. Dimai, S. Porta, G. Wirnsberger, M. Lindschinger, I. Pamperl, H. Dobnig, M. Wilders-Truschnig, and K.-H. W. Lau Daily Oral Magnesium Supplementation Suppresses Bone Turnover in Young Adult Males J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., August 1, 1998; 83(8): 2742 - 2748. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				S.-C. J. Yeung, A. C. Chiu, R. Vassilopoulou-Sellin, and R. F. Gagel The Endocrine Effects of Nonhormonal Antineoplastic Therapy Endocr. Rev., April 1, 1998; 19(2): 144 - 172. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				H. Shalev, M. Phillip, A. Galil, R. Carmi, and D. Landau Clinical presentation and outcome in primary familial hypomagnesaemia Arch. Dis. Child., February 1, 1998; 78(2): 127 - 130. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				B. R. Shah, K. Santucci, and L. Finberg Magnesium Deficiency as a Cause of Hypocalcemia in the CHARGE Association Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, May 1, 1994; 148(5): 486 - 489. [Abstract] [PDF]