Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The Journal of Clinical Investigation logoLink to The Journal of Clinical Investigation
. 1970 Sep;49(9):1619–1629. doi: 10.1172/JCI106379

Evidence for suppression of parathyroid gland activity by hypermagnesemia

Shaul G Massry 1,2,3, Jack W Coburn 1,2,3, Charles R Kleeman 1,2,3
PMCID: PMC322645  PMID: 5449702

Abstract

The effect of hypermagnesemia, produced by MgCl2 infusion, on the activity of parathyroid glands, as assessed by changes in levels of serum calcium (SCa) and in the fraction of filtered phosphate excreted (CP/CCr), was studied in 11 intact and 4 thyroparathyroidectomized (T-PTX) dogs. To exclude the effect of diurnal variation in CP/CCr on the results, studies were initiated in both morning and afternoon hours and each study with MgCl2 infusion was paired with a control experiment in the same dog not receiving MgCl2. During MgCl2 infusion, serum phosphorus rose progressively. Despite this rise, the levels of CP/CCr fell in all experiments and were significantly different from values observed at the same time of the day in the paired control experiments. The concentrations of total SCa fell by 1.0-2.4 mg/100 ml with a proportional decrease in the levels of the diffusible and ionized fractions. The pattern of the fall in CP/CCr during MgCl2 resembled that observed after CaCl2 infusion (seven dogs) and that which acutely followed thyroparathyroidectomy (seven dogs). When parathyroid extract was given to dogs receiving MgCl2 infusion both CP/CCr and SCa rose, and MgCl2 infusion did not affect CP/CCr and SCa in T-PTX dogs. These results indicate that hypermagnesemia suppresses the activity of the parathyroid glands, probably, by inhibiting production and (or) release of the hormone, without interfering with end-organ response. An increase in serum magnesium of 1.7-2.0 mg/100 ml was capable of producing the suppressive effect. Evaluation of the effect of simultaneous modest hypocalcemia and hypermagnesemia suggests that a decrease in the level of serum calcium is more potent than an increase in the concentration of serum magnesium in the regulation of parathyroid activity.

Full text

PDF
1619

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. ARDILL B. L., HALLIDAY J. A., MORRISON J. D., MULHOLLAND H. C., WOMERSLEY R. A. Interrelations of magnesium, phosphate and calcium metabolism. Clin Sci. 1962 Aug;23:67–75. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Arnaud C. D., Jr, Tenenhouse A. M., Rasmussen H. Parathyroid hormone. Annu Rev Physiol. 1967;29:349–372. doi: 10.1146/annurev.ph.29.030167.002025. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. BUNCE G. E., JENKINS K. J., PHILLIPS P. H. The mineral requirements of the dog. III. The magnesium requirement. J Nutr. 1962 Jan;76:17–22. doi: 10.1093/jn/76.1.17. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Briscoe A. M., Ragan C. Effect of magnesium on calcium metabolism in man. Am J Clin Nutr. 1966 Nov;19(5):296–306. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/19.5.296. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Buckle R. M., Care A. D., Cooper C. W., Gitelman H. J. The influence of plasma magnesium concentration on parathyroid hormone secretion. J Endocrinol. 1968 Dec;42(4):529–534. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.0420529. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. CHEN P. S., Jr, NEUMAN W. F. Renal reabsorption of calcium through its inhibition by various chemical agents. Am J Physiol. 1955 Mar;180(3):632–636. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1955.180.3.632. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. CHESLEY L. C., TEPPER I. Some effects of magnesium loading upon renal excretion of magnesium and certain other electrolytes. J Clin Invest. 1958 Oct;37(10):1362–1372. doi: 10.1172/JCI103726. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. CHIEMCHAISRI Y., PHILLIPS P. H. EFFECT OF DIETARY FLUORIDE UPON THE MAGNESIUM CALCINOSIS SYNDROME. J Nutr. 1963 Dec;81:307–311. doi: 10.1093/jn/81.4.307. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Care A. D., Duncan T., Webster D. Thyrocalcitonin and its role in calcium homeostasis. J Endocrinol. 1967 Feb;37(2):155–167. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.0370155. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. ETTORI J., SCOGGAN S. M. A determination of ionized calcium in serum by two- wavelength spectrophotometry of a metal indicator. Clin Chim Acta. 1961 Nov;6:861–865. doi: 10.1016/0009-8981(61)90175-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Estep H., Shaw W. A., Watlington C., Hobe R., Holland W., Tucker S. G. Hypocalcemia due to hypomagnesemia and reversible parathyroid hormone unresponsiveness. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1969 Jun;29(6):842–848. doi: 10.1210/jcem-29-6-842. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Gitelman H. J., Kukolj S., Welt L. G. Inhibition of parathyroid gland activity by hypermagnesemia. Am J Physiol. 1968 Aug;215(2):483–485. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1968.215.2.483. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Gitelman H. J., Kukolj S., Welt L. G. The influence of the parathyroid glands on the hypercalcemia of experimental magnesium depletion in the rat. J Clin Invest. 1968 Jan;47(1):118–126. doi: 10.1172/JCI105702. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. HEATON F. W. THE PARATHYROID GLANDS AND MAGNESIUM METABOLISM IN THE RAT. Clin Sci. 1965 Jun;28:543–553. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Hirsch P. F., Munson P. L. Thyrocalcitonin. Physiol Rev. 1969 Jul;49(3):548–622. doi: 10.1152/physrev.1969.49.3.548. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Massry S. G., Coburn J. W., Kleeman C. R. Renal handling of magnesium in the dog. Am J Physiol. 1969 Jun;216(6):1460–1467. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1969.216.6.1460. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Radde I. C., Wittermann E. R., Pensuwan S. Effect of thyroid and parathyroid on hypocalcemia occurring after a magnesium load. Endocrinology. 1968 Dec;83(6):1285–1292. doi: 10.1210/endo-83-6-1285. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. SAMIY A. H., BROWN J. L., GLOBUS D. L., KESSLER R. H., THOMPSON D. D. Interrelation between renal transport systems of magnesium and calcium. Am J Physiol. 1960 Mar;198:599–602. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1960.198.3.599. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. VITALE J. J., HELLERSTEIN E. E., NAKAMURA M., LOWN B. Effects of magnesium-deficient diet upon puppies. Circ Res. 1961 Mar;9:387–394. doi: 10.1161/01.res.9.2.387. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. WENER J., PINTAR K., SIMON M. A., MOTOLA R., FRIEDMAN R., MAYMAN A., SCHUCHER R. THE EFFECTS OF PROLONGED HYPOMAGNESEMIA ON THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM IN YOUNG DOGS. Am Heart J. 1964 Feb;67:221–231. doi: 10.1016/0002-8703(64)90372-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. WHANG R., WELT L. G. Observations in experimental magnesium depletion. J Clin Invest. 1963 Mar;42:305–313. doi: 10.1172/JCI104717. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Walser M. Magnesium metabolism. Ergeb Physiol. 1967;59:185–296. doi: 10.1007/BF02269144. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Investigation are provided here courtesy of American Society for Clinical Investigation

RESOURCES