American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 26, 362-366, Copyright © 1973 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

Magnesium and the pancreas

¹ From the Section of Gastroenterology, Rhode Island Hospital and Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island

In summary, magnesium participates in the protein synthesis of pancreatic enzymes. There is no impairment in pancreatic function in animals with experimental magnesium deficiency as these succumb to the neuromuscular and cardiovascular complications of magnesium deficiency. Magnesium content in pancreatic cells was not decreased in these animals. In protein deficiency in humans and animals, however, recovery of function and growth during dietary protein repletion is enhanced by concomitant magnesium supplementation.

In acute pancreatitis, hypomagnesemia and hypocalcemia may occur alone or in combination, presumably due in part to deposition of these cations in areas of fat necrosis. Magnesium deficiency also occurs in patients with diarrhea and pancreatic insufficiency. Because chronic alcoholics tend to be magnesium depleted, pancreatic disease in these cases will aggravate the deficiency. Correction of hypomagnesemia alone allows parathyroid hormone to act on bone and thereby also to correct the accompanying hypocalcemia in patients with inflammatory pancreatic disease. Magnesium and calcium concentrations are increased in secretin-stimulated pancreatic juice in patients with chronic pancreatitis. The significance of these findings are not known, but this may have some relevance in deposition of pancreatic calculi and recurrence of attacks of pancreatitis. Magnesium should be evaluated in serum and urine in patients with acute and chronic pancreatitis, particularly in cases with chronic alcoholism.