[Hypomagnesemia and hypoparathyroidism]

Magnesium (Mg) is the second most abundant intracellular cation in human and is involved in numerous biological processes. The kidney and intestinal tract are the principal organs involved in Mg homeostasis. Although calcium (Ca) is considered to be the major regulator of PTH secretion, a number of studies have demonstrated that Mg can modulate PTH secretion in a manner similar to Ca. Especially, it has been suggested that intracellular Mg depletion impairs the ability of the parathyroid to secrete PTH resulting in a fall in the serum PTH levels, and subsequently a fall in the serum Ca concentration.