{"id":150302317141,"date":"2024-07-08T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-08T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bioptimizers.com\/blog\/?p=150302317141"},"modified":"2024-10-14T06:14:56","modified_gmt":"2024-10-14T10:14:56","slug":"magnesiums-role-in-bone-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bioptimizers.com\/blog\/magnesiums-role-in-bone-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Magnesium\u2019s Role in Bone Health"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

While often shadowed by its more famous counterparts, calcium and vitamin D, magnesium is an important mineral when it comes to bone health. In fact, over sixty percent of your body\u2019s magnesium is stored within your bones, a testament to its significant role in skeletal health <\/span>. Below, we break down why it is so crucial, and how to take it properly to ensure you get all its benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How Does Magnesium Support Bone Health?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our bodies contain about 20-28g of magnesium at any given time <\/span>. That is a lot! As we learned above, we store most of this reserve within our bones. The magnesium on the bone surface can move easily between bones and blood, ensuring that our blood magnesium levels remain stable <\/span>. When blood magnesium levels<\/a> drop, magnesium can quickly be released from bones. Conversely, when blood levels rise, magnesium can bind to the bone surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, despite just being a quick source of magnesium for the blood, there are other reasons why we keep so much magnesium within the bones. Curious about exactly how magnesium benefits bone health? Let\u2019s dive into the mechanisms!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supports Homeostasis of Calcium Levels<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are several key players when it comes to maintaining calcium balance in the body. Mainly, these include vitamin D<\/a> and parathyroid hormone (PTH) <\/span>. The parathyroid hormone regulates calcium in the blood. When blood calcium is too low, parathyroid takes calcium from the bones, increases gut calcium absorption, and reduces kidney calcium excretion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Magnesium influences both vitamin D and parathyroid hormones, supporting your body\u2019s calcium levels. A lack of magnesium is linked to lower levels of both PTH and vitamin D, which are key players when it comes to calcium homeostasis <\/span>. Let\u2019s break some of them down:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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To absorb calcium from your diet, you first need vitamin D in its active form (calcitriol or  1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol). When active, vitamin D works in the digestive tract to absorb calcium from the foods that you eat. Magnesium is required for an enzyme that converts vitamin D into its active form <\/span>. But when magnesium levels are low, this enzyme doesn\u2019t work well and leads to less of the active vitamin D. This reduces calcium absorption and thus overall available calcium in your body. But, when magnesium levels are where they should be, you maximize calcium absorption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Magnesium also helps manage the secretion of parathyroid hormone by blocking certain calcium channels in your parathyroid cells <\/span>. When magnesium levels are high, these channels are blocked and reduce the amount of calcium entering cells. This reduction in calcium within cells reduces PTH secretion. Aside from blocking calcium channels, magnesium also makes the parathyroid gland more responsive to calcium levels in the blood, ensuring it is released appropriately to maintain calcium balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In conclusion, low magnesium can disrupt PTH secretion and function, causing calcium imbalances. The good news is that sufficient magnesium intake can help restore PTH levels and improve calcium balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supports Bone Growth and Repair<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Magnesium is a component of the bone mineral matrix \u2013 it contributes to the physical structure of your bones [R<\/a>4]. However, outside of this, it can also influence the activity of two key cell types needed for bone growth and repair \u2013 osteoblasts and osteoclasts <\/span>. You need both for strong, healthy bones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Osteoblasts help build new bone, while osteoclasts help with bone resorption <\/span>. Bone resorption involves breaking down old or damaged tissue, to make space for new bone. Our body requires a proper balance between these two processes for healthy bone remodeling, helping to ensure that our bones remain strong and resilient. Certain factors like nutrient deficiencies, high cortisol, low sex hormones, and stress can tip the balance more toward bone breakdown. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Magnesium promotes the growth of osteoblasts, your bone builders <\/span>. This helps your body create new bones. It does this by activating certain processes necessary for osteoblast function and bone formation <\/span>. Without enough magnesium, this process can be hindered and result in less bone formation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Magnesium is needed for osteoclasts, which break down old bones, for their development and function <\/span>. It helps regulate important signals between cells that are crucial for osteoclast formation <\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Low magnesium can cause an imbalance between bone breakdown and formation, leading to weaker bones. It can also impact bone structure and integrity by changing the size and structure of bone crystals. Bone crystals, also known as hydroxyapatite crystals, are the main mineral component of bone <\/span>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Supports Healthy Stress Response and Hormone Levels<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Prolonged elevated cortisol<\/a>, such as from chronic stress, can increase osteoclast relative to osteoblast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Magnesium has a key role in supporting a healthy stress response through balancing hormones, particularly estrogen and cortisol <\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cortisol, often called the \u201cstress hormone\u201d is released by your adrenal glands in response to stress. While our bodies need it to a certain degree, chronically high cortisol can promote bone resorption and inhibit bone formation <\/span>. This delicate balance, as we just learned above, can reduce bone mineral density. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To make matters worse, high levels of cortisol over time can actually cause your kidneys to excrete more magnesium <\/span>. That is why, if you are always feeling stressed, getting enough magnesium can be even more important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Magnesium can also influence the hormone estrogen. Estrogen is crucial for maintaining bone density, especially in women. It protects your bones by promoting bone formation and inhibiting its breakdown. During menopause, we tend to see significant drops in estrogen levels, and this can have negative impacts on bone health. We also tend to see lower levels of magnesium when estrogen levels are low <\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By modulating these two hormones, magnesium protects your bones from stress. It also helps maintain a hormonal environment conducive to strong and healthy bones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modulates Inflammatory Response and Oxidative Stress<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Oxidative stress is characterized by an imbalance between the production of harmful reactive oxygen species, or ROS, and the body\u2019s ability to clear them <\/span>. Over time, this can cause damage to cells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oxidative stress can increase proteins called cytokines <\/span>. Certain cytokines can stimulate osteoclasts, increasing the rate of bone breakdown <\/span>. At the same time, oxidative stress can affect bone cells and the extracellular matrix, the gel-like structure around your bone cells that supports your bones <\/span>. Combined, oxidative stress and cytokines can have detrimental impacts on bone health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Magnesium helps manage oxidative stress. It serves as a cofactor (helper) for several key antioxidant enzymes \u2013 superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase <\/span>. These enzymes are vital for clearing ROS and mitigating cell damage <\/span>. A magnesium deficiency can increase oxidative stress because it impairs these key enzymes <\/span>. Magnesium also inhibits the bone-unfriendly cytokines <\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, magnesium deficiency is linked to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n