Magnesium deficit ? overlooked cause of low vitamin D status?
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Editorial commentary discussing previously published observational analyses without new primary human data
PubMed 24228832 · doi:10.1186/1741-7015-11-229
What was done
This commentary discusses a separate observational analysis of two National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) datasets that examined the interactions between magnesium intake, circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations, and mortality.
What was found
The abstract describes the referenced findings qualitatively without providing specific numerical estimates. High magnesium intake was associated with a lower risk of deficient or insufficient vitamin D status, and the inverse association between circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D and mortality (specifically cardiovascular mortality) was present among individuals with magnesium intake above the median.
Why it matters
Because magnesium acts as an essential cofactor for vitamin D transport proteins and activation enzymes, adequate magnesium intake may be necessary to realize the health benefits associated with vitamin D.
Limits
This publication is an editorial commentary presenting no new primary data. The referenced survey analyses relied on self-reported dietary intake rather than biochemical measurements of magnesium status, leaving risk of confounding and an uncharacterized dose-response relationship.
Cited by
- supports Magnesium is required to convert vitamin D3 into active steroid hormone.