Abstract
Summary
The magnesium deficient rats developed red ears and were unable to gain weight at a normal rate after 5 days on the magnesium deficient diet. The plasma magnesium concentration in animals on a magnesium deficient diet for 1 week was approximately 20% of control values and dropped further, although insignificantly, during the following 3 weeks.
The plasma alkaline phosphatase activity in magnesium deficient animals was depressed to approximately 50% of control values by 1 week and remained at this level over the next 3 weeks. A significant decline in the erythrocyte pyrophosphatase activity in magnesium deficient rats did not occur until the second week and remained constant during the following 2 weeks. The slower change in erythrocyte pyrophosphatase activity, when compared with plasma alkaline phosphatase activity, was related to a slower decrease in erythrocyte magnesium content. The whole blood ATP content was significantly lower in the magnesium deficient animals after 2 weeks.
The number of erythrocytes per unit volume of whole blood progressively decreased with time in magnesium deficient animals when compared with control values. The magnesium deficient animals had a macrocytic, normochromic anemia. Microscopically, the erythrocytes were spherocytic in magnesium concentration in magnesium repleted animals returned to control values within 1 week. The erythrocyte factors, namely, erythrocyte pyrophosphatase activity, erythrocyte magnesium concentration, and hemoglobin, in magnesium repleted animals progressed toward the control values, but were still below control values at the end of 2 weeks. Pair-fed magnesium deficient and control animals exhibited essentially the same changes as animals provided the respective diets ad libitum at 28 days.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.