Magnesium Supplementation in Vitamin D Deficiency

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Geriatric Medicine
• Preventive Health

Background:

• Vitamin D and magnesium (Mg) are vital micronutrients implicated in numerous physiological processes.
• Prevalence of deficiency in both vitamin D and magnesium is high among adults globally.
• Suboptimal levels often go unrecognized by healthcare providers, despite significant health implications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the scientific literature on the associations between vitamin D and magnesium and various diseases.
• To highlight the importance of adequate magnesium status in the context of vitamin D therapy and supplementation.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed.
• The search focused on reported associations between vitamin D and magnesium levels and disease outcomes.

Main Results:

• Vitamin D and Mg replacement therapy in the elderly is linked to reduced nonvertebral fractures, lower overall mortality, and decreased incidence of Alzheimer's dementia.
• Epidemiological data suggests approximately 75% of adults worldwide have suboptimal serum 25(OH)D levels (<30 ng/mL).

Conclusions:

• Current vitamin D screening assays and normal ranges may be inadequate for effective disease prevention.
• Magnesium deficiency screening is challenging due to unreliable laboratory tests for total body status.
• Mg is essential for vitamin D metabolism; high-dose vitamin D can exacerbate Mg depletion.
• Adequate magnesium supplementation should be integrated into vitamin D therapy protocols.