[Magnesium and liver]

The pathophysiological responses to experimental magnesium deficiency are considered to result from mild inflammation and oxidative stress in various tissues. It is not clear whether magnesium deficiency solely induces liver diseases. However, magnesium deficiency is considered as a potential risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) because magnesium deficiency is associated with type 2 diabetes that are closely related to the pathogenesis of NAFLD. Further, inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress play important roles in the progression to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. The relationship was reported between plasma magnesium concentration and the incidence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. In this review, I briefly described how magnesium deficiency induces oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, and the effect of magnesium deficiency on liver.