Year: 2024
Type: review
Abstract: Magnesium (Mg) plays crucial roles in multiple essential biological processes. As the kidneys are the primary organ responsible for maintaining the blood concentration of Mg, people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may develop disturbances in Mg. While both hyper- and hypomagnesemia may lead to adverse effects, the consequences associated with hypomagnesemia are often more severe and lasting. Importantly, observational studies have shown that CKD patients with hypomagnesemia have greater vascular calcification. Vascular calcification is accelerated and contributes to a high mortality rate in the CKD population. Both in vitro and animal studies have demonstrated that Mg protects against vascular calcification via several potential mechanisms, such as inhibiting the formation of both hydroxyapatite and pathogenic calciprotein particles as well as limiting osteogenic differentiation, a process in which vascular smooth muscle cells in the media layer of the arteries transform into bone-like cells. These preclinical findings have led to several important clinical trials that have investigated the effects of Mg supplementation on vascular calcification in people with CKD. Interestingly, two major clinical studies produced contradictory findings, resulting in a state of equipoise. This narrative review provides an overview of our current knowledge in the renal handling of Mg in health and CKD and the underlying mechanisms by which Mg may protect against vascular calcification. Lastly, we evaluate the strength of evidence from clinical studies on the efficacy of Mg supplementation and discuss future research directions.
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25021155
Institutions: University of Vermont, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Language: English
Subfield: Nutrition and Dietetics
Field: Nursing
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,296
Awards: G3068282598, G3226915842, Cellular Interactions in Vascular Calcification of Chronic Kidney Disease, Catecholamine catabolism in obesity and diabetes, Calcification Propensity, using Dynamic Light Scattering, to Study Vascular Calcification in Patients with Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease, G8971305884, Calciprotein Particles and Vascular Calcification in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease
OpenAlex ID: W4390973274