Hypomagnesemia: A Clinical and Nutritional Update.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing physiology, epidemiology, and secondary meta-analyses without original systematic data extraction.
PubMed 41872423 · doi:10.1007/s13668-026-00745-5
What was done
This narrative review synthesized literature on magnesium physiology, homeostatic regulation (including TRPM6/7 channels and claudins), dietary and pharmacological causes of deficiency (such as proton pump inhibitors and diuretics), diagnostic limitations, and clinical outcomes associated with hypomagnesemia.
What was found
The abstract reports no primary numerical data or effect sizes. It describes consistent associations between low magnesium status and elevated risks of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, migraine, depression, dementia, osteoporosis, and adverse outcomes in critical illness and chronic kidney disease. It notes that meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials show magnesium supplementation yields modest improvements in blood pressure, glycemic control, inflammatory markers, endothelial function, migraine frequency, and depressive symptoms, particularly in baseline-deficient individuals.
Why it matters
It emphasizes hypomagnesemia as a widespread, modifiable risk factor across major chronic disease domains while pointing out the inadequacy of routine serum testing for assessing total body magnesium status.
Limits
As a narrative review, it lacks systematic search methodology, risk-of-bias grading, and primary meta-analytic pooling. The abstract provides no specific quantitative metrics or sample sizes. Furthermore, standard serum magnesium testing is an insensitive biomarker of total body stores, and standardized diagnostic thresholds and repletion protocols remain unestablished.
Cited by
- supports Exceeding the gastrointestinal absorption capacity with high oral doses of nutrients like magnesium causes loose stools or diarrhea, serving as an indicator of bowel tolerance.