Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol 13, Issue 5 416-423, Copyright © 1994 by American College of Nutrition
Magnesium deficiency and alcohol intake: mechanisms, clinical significance and possible relation to cancer development (a review)
R. S. Rivlin
Clinical Nutrition Research Unit, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, New York 10021.
A comprehensive and critical review of the evidence relating magnesium (Mg)
deficiency to alcohol consumption reveals several important types of
interactions. First, alcohol acts acutely as a Mg diuretic, causing a
prompt, vigorous increase in the urinary excretion of this metal along with
that of certain other electrolytes. Second, with chronic intake of alcohol
and development of alcoholism, the body stores of Mg become depleted.
During the late stages of alcoholism, the urinary excretion of Mg may
become diminished as a physiological response to reduced intake and
reduction of body stores. A number of aspects of the clinical syndrome of
alcoholism contribute to and intensify that already existing reduction in
body Mg stores. Third, a number of manifestations of alcoholism are
believed due to effects of Mg deficiency, and some therapeutic benefit has
been suggested from treatment of alcoholic patients with Mg. Finally,
relatively little attention has been paid to the possible value of Mg
administration as a preventive measure to forestall or minimize the
deleterious effects of chronic use of alcohol or to prevent the development
of cancer than can occur in this setting.
