Magnesium, Lipids and Vascular Diseases. Experimental Evidence in Animal Models

The possible role of Mg in the pathogenesis of vascular disease has recently received increasing attention. Accumulating evidence indicates that Mg strongly influences vascular tone and responsiveness to pressor agents and that Mg deficiency may be associated with an increased risk of hypertension. Moreover, experimental Mg deficiency produces vascular lesions with calcifications while increasing the dietary intake of Mg has been shown to prevent atheroma and thrombotic complications. The modifications of lipid metabolism during experimental Mg deficiency have been recently characterized. Severe Mg deficiency in weanling rats produces a marked hypertriglyceridemia and a decrease in the percentage of cholesterol transported by high-density lipoprotein. The decreased clearance of circulating triglycerides appears to be the major mechanism contributing to hyperlipemia. The same animals were found to have a reduced insulin response after intravenous glucose challenge and a slight reduction in heparin release lipoprotein lipase. A marked reduction in plasma activity of LCAT and a significant decrease in esterified/total plasma cholesterol ratio have also been reported. Severe Mg deficiency in weanling rats produces marked changes in the fatty acid pattern of total plasma lipids, as shown by decreased levels of stearic acid, increased of oleic acid and linoleic acid, and decreased levels of arachidonic acid. Platelets from Mg-deficient rats become more sensitive to thrombin. Such an increased sensitivity of platelets may in turn play an important role in initiating the vascular lesion as well as in thrombotic complications. In view of these experimental data in animal models, more work seems necessary in man to assess the effect of Mg on lipid metabolism and vascular disease.