Alcoholism magnesium deficiency

Mineral deficiencies are not uncommon and can have quite a variety of causes—e. g., an unbalanced diet, resorption disturbances, and diseases. Calcium deficiency can lead to rickets, osteoporosis, and other disturbances. Chloride deficiency is observed as a result of severe Cr losses due to vomiting. Due to the low content of iodine in food in many regions of central Europe, iodine deficiency is widespread there and can lead to goiter. Magnesium deficiency can be caused by digestive disorders or an unbalanced diet—e.g., in alcoholism. Trace element deficiencies often result in a disturbed blood picture—i. e., forms of anemia. 

Q13 Magnesium is a major intracellular cation which acts as a co-factor in many intracellular enzyme reactions. Plasma concentration is normally 2 mg dl-1. This ion is abundant in the diet, and hypomagnesaemia is relatively uncommon, unless there is malabsorption or excessive loss via the kidney. However, when present, hypomagnesaemia can lead to hypoparathyroidism. Adjustment to the levels of magnesium can shift the function of the parathyroid glands back to normal. Chronic alcoholism, malnutrition, malabsorption, renal tubular dysfunction and excessive use of diuretics, such as loop and thiazide diuretics, may lead to hypomagnesaemia. Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include depression, confusion, muscle weakness and sometimes convulsions. 

Hypocalcemia can result from hypoparathyroidism, chronic renaJ failure, vila-niin D deficiency, and hypomagnesemia. Hypomagnesemia occurs mainly in those with alcoholism so severe as to requite hospitaiization. Magnesium deficiency results in a decline in the responsiveness of osteoclasts to FTH, resulting in interruption of the normal process of bone fumover. In this case, hypocalcemia cannot be effectively corrected unless magnesium therapy is used. 

A lack of magnesium can occur, however. For example, alcoholics and children in poor countries sometimes develop a magnesium deficiency. In such cases, magnesium deficiency may cause a person to become easily upset or overly aggressive. 

Excessive urinary losses of magnesium from the kidneys are important causes of magnesium deficiency. Clinically important causes include alcohol, diabetes meUitus (osmotic diuresis), loop diuretics (furosemide), and aminoglycoside antibiotics. Increased sodium excretion (parenteral fluid therapy) and increased calcium excretion (hypercalcemic states) also result in renal magnesium wasting. 

In this section, I list diseases and conditions known to cause or accompany magnesium deficiency. My purpose is to show you that one disease can cause others by creating deficiencies that open up a person to other diseases.The following conditions are known to contribute to magnesium deficiency Bartter s syndrome bile insufficiency celiac disease bowel infections vomiting diarrhea alcoholism diabetes high levels of diuretics, vitamin D, or zinc hyperthyroidism metabolic disorders hormone disorders fat metabolism problems colostomy and kidney dysfunctions. 

A series of article abstracts about various magnesium-deficiency symptoms, syndromes, conditions, or diseases are supplied at http //www.mgwa-ter.com/abstract.shtml. These include the following alcohol-related hypertension and strokes, alcohol-induced contraction of cerebral arteries, amyofrophic lateral sclerosis and aluminum deposition in the central nervous system, cardiac arrhythmias, asthma therapy, attention deficit disorder (ADD), cerebral artery disorders, constipation, diabetes, heart muscle disorders or myocardial infarction, hypertension, HIV, kidney stones, menopause, migraine, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, and premenstrual syndrome. In all cases, an increase in magnesium levels had beneficial effects. 

The recommended dietary intake of magnesium is 400 mg per day for men and 315 mg per day for women. This is equivalent to just 4 oz of bran cereal. Because magnesium levels are easily maintained by a normal diet, it is unusual for anyone to have a magnesium deficiency. Most magnesium deficiencies are the result of factors that decrease magnesium absorption. People with gastrointestinal disorders, alcohol abusers, and the critically ill are most likely to have these types of absorption problems. 

Magnesium deficiency has been observed in alcoholics, in severe kidney diseeise, in acute diarrhea, and in kwashiorkor. 

The reaction catalyzed by delta-6-desaturase enzyme is the slowest reaction in the metabolic pathway of LA and is considered as a rate-limiting step (4, 5). Activity of this enzyme further decreases with age and in people suffering from various diseases, including arthritis, diabetes, hypertension, eczema, psoriasis, and so on. Lifestyle factors like stress, smoking, excessive consumption of alcohol, linoleic acid (6), saturated and trans-fatty acids and nutritional deficiencies of Vitamin B6, zinc (7), and magnesium inhibit this desaturase. As a result of limitations in in vivo production of GLA, supplementation with preformed GLA is becoming important. This has led to interest in development and commercialization of the sources of GLA. 

Vitamin Bj Vitamin Bj was discovered in 1926 by Jansen and Do-NATH, who synthesized it in its crystalline form from rice bran. It was initially called aneurine due to its antipolyneuropathic effect. Because it contains sulphur, Windaus correctly renamed it thiamine in 1932, a term by which it is still known today. The stixicture of this vitamin was described by Williams and Grewe in 1936. It is made up of pyrimidine and thiazole. Thiamine occurs in nature as free thiamine and in the form of thiamine monophosphate, diphosphate and triphosphate. A maximum amount of 8 — 15 mg is absorbed daily in the proximal portion of the small intestine. In the case of oversupply, thiamine is neither stored nor intestinally absorbed. A regular intake, with a daily requirement of about 1 mg, is necessary. The major coenzyme is thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP). Thiamine deficiency may be caused by malnutrition, impaired absorption, alcoholism, antithiamines or a lack of magnesium. Magnesium is an important cofactor for the coenzyme thiamine pyrophosphate. 

A minority of alcoholics develop nutrient deficiencies. In Western countries, alcoholics represcrit the largest population segment that can benefit from dietary intervention. Alcoholics are at risk for deficiencies in folate, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B, vitamin A, and magnesium, particularly when the intake of these substances is low. In some cases, absorption of the nutrient is impaired in others, catabolism of the nutrient is iitcreased. Thiamin deficiency is a firmly established consequence of alcoholism, as discussed in the iTiiamin section. 

Price and Kerr, 1985). Alcohol has been fonnd to interfere with the active transport of thiamine in the gastrointestinal system, at least in rodents (Knmar et al, 2000). Thiamine absorption may be significantly decreased in the setting of folate depletion but may return to normal with 4-6 weeks of folate repletion therapy. A deficiency in magnesium, required for the conversion of thiamine to thiamine pyrophosphate, may also cause thiamine deficiency (Bishai and Bozzetti, 1986 Lonsdale, 2006). 

The Kanemasa group utilized the strategy of 13DC of electron deficient activated ester nitronates 172 and 175 arising from dimethyl nitromalonate and methyl nitroacetate, respectively, with the magnesium derivative of al-lylic alcohols 173 for the synthesis of substituted isoxazolines 174 and 176 (Scheme 44) [145]. The monoester nitronate 175 was originally an E Z mixture in 1 1.8 ratio. 

On a dry weight basis, Saccharomyces contains 3% to 5% phosphate, 2.5% potassium, 0.3% to 0.4% magnesium, 0.5% sulfur, and trace amounts of calcium, chlorine, copper, iron, zinc, and manganese (Monk, 1994 Walker, 1998). Yeast must be supplied with a source of phosphate, which is incorporated into nucleic acids, phospholipids, adenosine-5 -triphosphate (ATP), and other compounds. Potassium is necessary for uptake of phosphate, and a deficiency may be linked to sluggish alcoholic fermentations (Kudo et ak, 1988). Other minerals needed by Saccharomyces during fermentation have a variety of functions but are used primarily as enzyme activators. 

Overconsumption of Alcohol. Alcoholics may suffer from deficiencies of minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and zinc, provoked in part by erratic eating habits and in part by an increased urinary loss of these minerals due to the effects of alcohol. 

Substances present in both normal wine and dealcohol-ized wine promote better absorption of the essential minerals calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc than pure alcohol or deionized water. (It has long been thought that the absorption of iron is improved by wine. Hence, an old time remedy for iron deficiency anemia was "beef, iron, and wine.")... 

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