Magnesium (Mg) is essential for a diverse range of physiological functions, as it is involved in a variety of the body's biochemical processes. Mg deficiency, either from inadequate intake or from excess excretion, is often suspected to be associated with the development of many symptoms and diseases. The nutritional and physiological importance of Mg has already been well established. Mg was finally confirmed to be the most effective element for preventing several diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders including obesity, diabetes and hypertension. Recently, many studies and meta-analyses have proved the above findings. Furthermore, a number of studies have reported the effects of Mg deficiency on carbohydrate, lipid, protein, vitamin and mineral metabolism. In this review, we discuss the effects of dietary-Mg deficiency on proteins, lipids, ascorbic acid and mineral metabolism, including kidney calcification and bone loss, in rodents. Furthermore, we performed transcriptome analysis to comprehensively understand the effects of dietary-Mg deficiency in rat livers and femora by using DNA microarray.
