Abstract
The first suggestion of protein-magnesium relationship was made by Colby et al. (1951). Menaker (1954) and Bunce et al. (1963) elaborated thereafter on this problem.
The following study was designed to give further information on the influence of dietary protein and magnesium levels on the calcium and phosphorus metabolism, using 30 male albino rats of the Wistar strain, averaging 41g in the initial body weight.
Either in the low or high protein intake, there was no difference in the weight gain between the diet with 50mg% and that with 200mg% of magnesium. In moderate protein intake, however, the gain with low magnesium intake was greater than that with high magnesium diet.
In the group receiving equal amount of protein, the calcium metabolism was not affected by dietary magnesium level but the lower level of magnesium caused higher absorption and urinary excretion of phosphorus. The high protein-low magnesium diet caused a decrease in absorption of magnesium.
In the group receiving equal amount of magnesium, the protein-deficient diet decreased the percentage absorption of calcium and phosphorus, and increased the percentage excretion of calcium in urine.
