Medizinische Universität Graz Austria/Österreich - Forschungsportal - Medical University of Graz
Gewählte Publikation:
Classen, HG; Porta, S; Schindler, R.
Coping with Acute Stress Reactions by Plentiful Oral Magnesium Supply
MAGNESIUM, BULL 1995 17: 1-8.
Web of Science
- Co-Autor*innen der Med Uni Graz
- Porta Sepp
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- Abstract:
- ''Plentiful'' oral magnesium (Mg) supply is defined as amounts that clearly exceed the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA), respectively animals' requirement. The standard laboratory chow of rats usually contains already plentiful Mg (4 to 5 times the requirement) whereas human diets scarcely meet the RDA. Hence plentiful Mg supply is achieved in man only when Mg supplements are given additionally. Plentiful Mg increases plasma-Mg levels to upper normal levels or above, with saturated bone Mg pools and increased urinary Mg excretion. Recent experimental data show that increased serum-Mg penetrates blood-brain and blood-liquor barriers to a small, but biologically significant extent. This explains central-nervous, probably tranquillizing effects which could be partly mediated through a block of the voltage-dependent NMDA-channels by Mg2+. Stress reactions, mediated by increased levels of exogeneous or endogeneous levels of excitatory amino acids like glutamate or aspartate, might thus be attenuated by plentiful Mg supply. In addition plentiful Mg supply has been shown to exert beneficial systemic peripheral effects. Glycogen depletion of the liver and also of skeletal muscles during catecholamine-mediated stress reactions is of central pathophysiological importance triggering adverse and exhausting chain reactions. Plentiful oral Mg supply protects glycogen stores and hence attenuates the release of stress hormones and their adverse effects on hormonal and metabolic parameters. Plentiful anti Mg supply is generally safe and therefore recommended before undergoing stressful events. However, supplementation has to be started long enough before such events.