Magnesium biology.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of magnesium biology and transport mechanisms without primary empirical data or systematic search.
PubMed 38871680 · doi:10.1093/ndt/gfae134
What was done
This paper is a narrative review describing magnesium (Mg2+) physiology, intestinal absorption, renal handling, molecular mechanisms of hypomagnesemia, and therapeutic approaches based on recent literature.
What was found
Serum Mg2+ is maintained between 0.7 and 1.1 mmol/L. Small intestinal paracellular absorption involves claudin-2 and -12, while colonic transcellular absorption involves TRPM6/7 and CNNM4. In the kidney, 20% of filtered Mg2+ is reabsorbed in the proximal tubule, the majority in the thick ascending limb via claudin-16/-19, and distal fine-tuning via TRPM6/7 and basolateral CNNM2/SLC41A3. Hypomagnesemia (<0.7 mmol/L) stems from alcoholism, type 2 diabetes, medications (proton-pump inhibitors, calcineurin inhibitors, thiazide diuretics), and transporter or mitochondrial defects. Established treatments include oral/intravenous Mg2+, with prebiotic fibers and SGLT2 inhibitors noted as emerging options.
Why it matters
It provides a synthesized overview of the molecular transport pathways controlling magnesium homeostasis and highlights newer therapeutic options for managing hypomagnesemia.
Limits
The publication is a narrative review lacking a systematic review protocol, risk of bias assessment, or original empirical data. Comparative clinical efficacy and quantitative treatment outcomes are not provided in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports The body regulates plasma magnesium concentrations tightly within the range of approximately 0.7 to 1.0 mmol/L.