A new approach to evaluate magnesium status: determination of exchangeable Mg pool masses using Mg stable isotope.

Magnesium (Mg) status is difficult to evaluate using conventional status markers. Radioactive isotopes and, less commonly, stable isotopes have been used as research tools to assess the size of the exchangeable pools of minerals as a new approach to evaluate mineral status. The present paper is a report concerning the exploration of exchangeable Mg pools characteristics with the use of radioactive and stable isotopes and its validation as a method to evaluate Mg status. Recent data obtained in our laboratory using stable isotope of Mg in animals and in humans are presented. Animal studies demonstrated clearly that the exchangeable Mg pools is an interesting approach to evaluate Mg status, as the size of Mg pool 1, 2 and 3 decreased in proportion to Mg deficiency. However more studies are still necessary to better appreciate the relationship between Mg status and exchangeable Mg pool size in humans.