The Role of Magnesium Deficiency in Cardiovascular and Intestinal Inflammation, Magnes Res. 2010 December

Abstract

Hypomagnesemia continues to cause difficult clinical problems, such as significant cardiac arrhythmias where intravenous magnesium therapy can be lifesaving. Nutritional deficiency of magnesium may present with some subtle symptoms such as leg cramps and occasional palpitation. We have investigated dietary-induced magnesium deficiency in rodent models to assess the pathobiology associated with prolonged hypomagnesemia. We found that neuronal sources of the neuropeptide, substance P (SP), contributed to very early prooxidant/ proinflammatory changes during Mg deficiency. This neurogenic inflammation is systemic in nature, affecting blood cells, cardiovascular, intestinal, and other tissues, leading to impaired cardiac contractility similar to that seen in patients with heart failure. We have used drugs that block the release of SP from neurons and SP-receptor blockers to prevent some of these pathobiological changes; whereas, blocking SP catabolism enhances inflammation. Our findings emphasize the essential role of this cation in preventing cardiomyopathic changes and intestinal inflammation in a well-studied animal model, and also implicate the need for more appreciation of the potential clinical relevance of optimal magnesium nutrition and therapy.

"...In conclusion, the animal studies of dietary Mg deficiency indicate that an inflammatory process is triggered by neuronal release of SP which may affect cardiovascular and intestinal tissues. In the event that gut permeability is enhanced, endotoxemia may result in further systemic inflammatory responses. The clinical literature has documented that patients with congestive heart failure may have elevated endotoxin levels.39–40 and that hypomagnesemia41 may also be present due to diuretic therapy and other concurrent disease processes. We suggest that some of the findings from animal studies of Mg deficiency may have some clinically relevant parallels and we submit that the careful assessment of Mg status in patients may indicate the need for more frequent oral and intravenous therapy with this important electrolyte...."


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3800093/pdf/nihms519087.pdf