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Handbook of Famine, Starvation, and Nutrient Deprivation pp 1–12Cite as

Impaired Magnesium Status and Depression

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Abstract

Magnesium (Mg) is an element present in everyday dietary plan of regular meals, but it has been shown that a large part of the population presents a low Mg status. Mg has a wide range of physiologic and protective functions within energy regulation and cellular, included neuronal, homeostasis. It obstacles excessive calcium flow into the cells, preventing cells’ death, has anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidant action, and interacts with serotonin, a central neurotransmitter involved in depression pathophysiology. Epidemiologic studies have shown that low Mg status is associated with increased frequency of depression, with both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs. Promising evidence has shown that Mg has antidepressant activity similar to imipramine, and that it can be a valid supplementation to antidepressants in treatment resistant depression. However, at the present state of the art too few and small studies have investigated the role of Mg among other therapeutic means in depression, and any conclusion about its utility in clinical practice cannot be drawn. Future research should shed a light on such an important field needing more evidence.

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Abbreviations

BDNF:

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor

Mg:

Magnesium

NMDA:

N-methyl-D-aspartate

RCT:

Randomized controlled trial

RDA:

Recommended daily allowance

SSRI:

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Research Council, Neuroscience Institute, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128, Padova, Italy

    Nicola Veronese

  2. Institute for clinical Research and Education in Medicine (IREM), Padova, Italy

    Nicola Veronese & Marco Solmi

  3. Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, via Giustiniani, 1, 35128, Padova, Italy

    Marco Solmi

Authors
  1. Nicola Veronese
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  2. Marco Solmi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nicola Veronese .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Diabetes & Nutritional Sci Div Sch, King's College London, London, United Kingdom

    Victor Preedy

  2. Clinical Biochemistry, University of Westminster, Westminster, United Kingdom

    Vinood B. Patel

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Veronese, N., Solmi, M. (2017). Impaired Magnesium Status and Depression. In: Preedy, V., Patel, V. (eds) Handbook of Famine, Starvation, and Nutrient Deprivation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40007-5_49-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40007-5_49-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-40007-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-40007-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

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