How does Magnesium work in muscles and nerves

This is a short introduction of the importance of Magnesium in human bodies.Only 3 sections to read. If you need further informations, please feel ease to contact us from here. Since Magnesium is water soluble and the human kidney has the high tendency to wash out Magnesium from human body via urine(i.m.o., the sympathetic nerve stimulant causing Magnesium loss from urine is a major cause of Magnesium depletion pandemic in our modern society, the blog entry here), it is recommended that human beings with wholesome kidneies frequently supplement Magnesium in some form, which has been my recommendation since no later than 2021/12/10. It is the story-tellling explanation why human kidney is so Magnesium-resilient is they are still relying on “fish kidney” which allows them to filtrate sea water at all time.

Ca²⁺ influx is the functional trigger of muscle and nerve cells(According to, e.g. Medical Biochemistry By Baynes & Dominiczak – (4rd, Fourth Edition) Japanese translation edition(2018).). Magnesium, a major cation component of the intracellular fluid(ICF) for human body cells, contribute to expel the Ca²⁺ from the cells after the functional event. Cations’ in-out flow go through exchangers or channels, e.g. NCX or TRPM family(Calcium clearance mechanism explained here ―unfortunately, this paper neglects TRPM family and other possibly exist channels(my commentary here). Kind reminder: Intracellular Mg²⁺ contributes to the voltage (the difference between intra- and extra-cellular electrochemical potentials) conformation because it is a major component of ICF. Note: On Nerve cells, it is known that Mg²⁺ has the unique role not only on voltage conformation. Details here). If not sufficient Mg²⁺  inside the cell, there may be some trouble bringing Ca²⁺ back to the original state, which causes e.g. the muscle stiffness or the nerve overexcitation(frequency and duration). See this(Google Gemini explanation, on history this) for the further understanding of Calsium-concentration-dependent muscle contraction.

The serum(in-blood) Mg²⁺ concentration is strictly controlled within the narrow width due to the kidney function. When it comes to the Mg²⁺ shortage in blood flow, it is recruited from the in-body storages like bones or ICF of body cells. Considering the mechanisms described above it means that the Mg²⁺ shortage in blood flow causes it squeezing out Magnesium from ICF or melting bone.

Magnesium is known that it functions as co-enzyme for over 300 enzymes including ATP which is the “Energy currency”. Many cell functions including muscle contraction and Ca²⁺ expulsion(by PMCA, Google Gemini explanation here) depends on ATP consumption.

Few literature discuss on the Magnesium importance however there exists some e.g. this.

> 1. Shozo Koshikawa, Fluid Therapy, Chugai-Igakusha, 1985, p.17.
2. Yoshihiro Kubo (Ed.), Standard Physiology 8th Ed., Igaku-Shoin, 2014, p.53. English translation by Google Gemini here.