Role of Magnesium in Vitamin D Activation and Function.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review describing biochemical mechanisms and cofactor requirements without original data or systematic methodology
PubMed 29480918 · doi:10.7556/jaoa.2018.037
What was done
This paper reviews the physiological and enzymatic relationships between magnesium and vitamin D metabolism, specifically examining magnesium's role as a cofactor in hepatic and renal enzymatic activation and its impact on calcium and phosphate homeostasis.
What was found
The abstract reports no quantitative data, statistics, or effect sizes. It qualitatively describes that all enzymes involved in vitamin D metabolism appear to require magnesium as a cofactor, and notes that deficiencies in either nutrient are linked to skeletal deformities, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease.
Why it matters
It emphasizes that adequate magnesium intake may be necessary to achieve the full physiological benefits of vitamin D supplementation and activation.
Limits
As a narrative review, it provides no original clinical data, does not report a systematic literature search, and gives no quantitative measurements of how varying magnesium levels clinically alter 25(OH)D or 1,25(OH)2D concentrations.
Cited by
- supports Magnesium is required to convert vitamin D3 into 25-hydroxyvitamin D and to activate 25-hydroxyvitamin D into the active steroid hormone form.