Tissue minerals of magnesium-deficient rats with thiamine deficiency and excess

To clarify the influence of thiamine deficiency or a dietary excess of thiamine on the mineral balance in magnesium-deficient animals, the following six different synthetic diets were fed to Wistar rats. Group 1: thiamine and magnesium-deficient; group 2: thiamine-deficient, magnesium-deficient; group 3: thiamine-sufficient, magnesium-deficient; group 4: thiamine-sufficient, magnesium-sufficient; group 5: thiamine excess, magnesium-deficient; group 6: thiamine excess, magnesium-sufficient. Rats were sacrificed after 4 weeks of these dietary regimens. In the magnesium-deficient groups, magnesium levels in serum, bone and heart decreased; calcium levels in serum and heart increased and, in contrast, calcium levels in bone decreased. These changes in mineral concentration seen in magnesium-deficient animals, as well as kidney weight changes, were alleviated significantly when the animals were also deficient in thiamine. It can be presumed that thiamine deficiency inhibits magnesium depletion and, consequently, the influence of magnesium deficiency is less significant in the thiamine- and magnesium-deficient animals. In regard to trace elements, the significant changes seen in magnesium-deficient rats were as follows: zinc in liver, muscle and blood increased and that in bone decreased. Copper in blood, kidney, muscle and heart increased and that in liver decreased. Iron in serum, liver, spleen and kidney increased and that in whole blood decreased.