Magnesium Deficiency and Cardiometabolic Disease

Abstract

Magnesium (Mg²⁺) has many physiological functions within the body. These include important roles in maintaining cardiovascular functioning, where it contributes to the regulation of cardiac excitation-contraction coupling, endothelial functioning and haemostasis. The haemostatic roles of Mg²⁺ impact upon both the protein and cellular arms of coagulation. In this review, we examine how Mg²⁺ homeostasis is maintained within the body and highlight the various molecular roles attributed to Mg²⁺ in the cardiovascular system. In addition, we describe how nutritional and/or disease-associated magnesium deficiency, seen in some metabolic conditions, has the potential to influence cardiac and vascular outcomes. Finally, we also examine the potential for magnesium supplements to be employed in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disorders and in the management of cardiometabolic health.

Keywords: cardiovascular disease; magnesium; metal ion dyshomeostasis; nutrient deficiency; supplementation.

Figure 1

Magnesium has roles in many physiological processes (created using BioRender).

Figure 2

Magnesium deficiency leads to cardiovascular disease through multiple mechanisms. Mg deficiency leads to hypertension through an increase in catecholamine release, sodium retention and cholesterol, which is in turn a risk for several cardiovascular conditions. Arterial fibrillation has also been shown to be associated with Mg deficiency as well as atherosclerosis, which is thought to be caused by an increase in NFκB signalling, low-grade inflammation and cholesterol. Mg deficiency has also been linked to an increase in thrombotic risk. Created using BioRender.