MAGNESIUM IN DRINKING-WATER AND IN SKELETAL-MUSCLE AND SUBLINGUAL CELLS

The aim of this study was to investigate the importance of magnesium i n drinking water for intracellular magnesium in skeletal muscle. The p articipants were 46 healthy, non-smoking males in four municipalities, with varying levels of magnesium in the drinking water. They were int erviewed concerning their intake of water and foodstuffs of importance for magnesium intake. The magnesium content was determined in muscle biopsies from the Vastus lateralis. In addition, we evaluated a techni que where intracellular magnesium was determined in sublingual mucous membrane cells. No correlations were found between magnesium intake vi a water or food and magnesium in skeletal muscle or sublingual cells, respectively. The correlation between the magnesium content in muscle and sublingual cells was negative, which indicates that measurements o f Mg in sublingual cells cannot be used to evaluate intracellular Mg l evels in muscle.