Effect of magnesium deficiency on lipid metabolism in rats fed a high carbohydrate diet

The effects of acute magnesium deficiency on lipid metabolism were examined in weaning rats fed a high carbohydrate diet containing starch or sucrose for 8 days. Rats were killed after the feeding period. In plasma, magnesium deficiency increased triglyceride and free cholesterol levels and decreased esterified cholesterol levels. Rats fed a magnesium-deficient diet containing sucrose showed particularly high triglyceride plasma levels. In liver, magnesium-deficient rats fed sucrose showed a significant increase in triglycerides, lactate and alpha-glycerophosphate and a significant decrease in glycogen. Changes in triglycerides and glycogen in the liver of magnesium-deficient rats fed starch were not significant. In sucrose-fed rats, serum lipoproteins were isolated by ultracentrifugation. With magnesium deficiency, triglycerides were significantly increased in the very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) fractions and cholesterol levels were increased in the VLDL and LDL and significantly lower in the high density lipoprotein (HDL) fractions. The detrimental effect of severe magnesium deficiency associated particularly with a high carbohydrate diet content and more especially with a sucrose diet is discussed.