Mineral water as a source of dietary calcium: acute effects on parathyroid function and bone resorption in young men.

BACKGROUND: Calcium is a major component of mineralized tissues and is required for normal growth and maintenance of bone. Epidemiologic studies showed that a large percentage of the population fails to meet the currently recommended guidelines for optimal calcium intake. OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to determine whether high-calcium mineral water is an efficient additional source of dietary calcium. DESIGN: Twelve healthy young men (mean +/- SD age: 21.1 +/- 1.2 y) ingested in a randomized order either 0.5 L of a mineral water containing 344 mg Ca/L or 0.5 L of a mineral water with a very low concentration of calcium (<10 mg/L) as a control. Blood samples were drawn before and 1, 2, 3, and 4 h after intake of the water. Urine was collected for 2 h before and every 2 h for 4 h after ingestion of the water. Serum concentrations of intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) and serum concentrations and urinary excretion of a recently developed biochemical marker of bone resorption, type 1 collagen cross-linked C-telopeptide (CTx), were measured. RESULTS: Serum iPTH was significantly (P < 0.002) lower after ingestion of high-calcium water than after ingestion of the control. There was a significant (P = 0.01) progressive decrease in urinary CTx after ingestion of the high-calcium water, whereas after ingestion of low-calcium water the changes were modest and not significant. The fall in serum CTx concentrations was 34.7% 3 h after ingestion of high-calcium water, compared with 17.6% with the control. The decreases in serum CTx concentrations were significantly (P < 0.05) lower 1, 2, 3, and 4 h after ingestion of high-calcium water than after ingestion of the control. CONCLUSION: The present study showed that one oral intake of water containing a very moderate dose of calcium (172 mg) acutely inhibited iPTH secretion and bone resorption.

Comparative uptake of calcium from milk and a calcium-rich mineral water in lactose intolerant adults: implications for treatment of osteoporosis.

Despite the links between low calcium (Ca) intake and age-related bone loss, hypertension, and colon cancer, the majority of Western populations have average daily Ca intakes substantially below recommended daily allowances. Although dietary products are widely known as a rich and valuable source of Ca in the diet, consumption of diary products is low and has been decreasing because of perceptions of excess calories and fat in the diet, as well as taste aversions. During the last decade, a marked increase in the consumption of bottled waters has occurred. Since some of these waters are characterized by high concentrations of Ca, we have studied Ca bioavailability from a Ca-rich water, using 15 lactose intolerant male individuals as subjects, and compared such bioavailability to that from milk. We report herein that the bioavailability of Ca from the water was generally as good as or better than that from milk, a food product well known for its very high Ca bioavailability. Indeed, in eight of 15 subjects, there was a higher level of Ca absorption from mineral water than from milk; bioavailability was equal in five of 15 subjects; in contrast, in two of 15 subjects, the bioavailability of Ca absorption from milk was greater than that from the mineral water. The potential implications of this observation for the prevention and management of age-related bone loss are important for preventive medicine and indicate a new, important source of dietary Ca for lactose intolerant individuals.

Free and total magnesium in lymphocytes of migraine patients - effect of magnesium-rich mineral water intake.

Dietary surveys performed in Western countries show magnesium intakes lower than the recommended dietary allowances, suggesting a large prevalence of magnesium deficiency. Low brain magnesium as well as impaired magnesium metabolism have also been reported in various diseases such as migraine. To detect these deficiencies, a non-invasive and sensitive test assessing magnesium status is needed. Because magnesium is an intracellular cation, either total or ionized magnesium (Mg(2+)) of blood cells were suggested as the most adequate tests. Total magnesium levels in plasma, erythrocytes and lymphocytes and Mg(2+) in lymphocytes were analyzed in a group of 29 migraine patients and 18 control subjects. Results show significantly lower concentrations of total magnesium in erythrocytes (50.7+/-4.7 vs. 53.5+/-2.9 mg/l; P<0.01) and of Mg(2+) in lymphocytes (12.0+/-3.5 vs. 14.2+/-3.8 mg/l; P<0.05) in migraine patients as compared to controls. While a significant difference of mean values was noted between migraine patients and controls, an overlap of individual values was observed. These analyses were repeated on migraine patients before and after a 2-week intake of a mineral water containing 110 mg/l magnesium, and a significant increase in all intracellular magnesium concentrations with no effect on plasma magnesium was observed. These increased intracellular magnesium concentrations demonstrate the bioavailability of magnesium from this mineral water. Among the analyzed parameters, Mg(2+) in lymphocytes appears to be the most sensitive index of magnesium deficiency with a 15% decrease in migraine patients when compared to controls and a 16% increase after 2 weeks of a magnesium-rich mineral water intake.

Contribution of mineral waters to dietary calcium and magnesium intake in a French adult population.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the contribution of mineral water containing different amounts of calcium and magnesium to the total dietary intakes of these minerals DESIGN: Matched case control study using data issued from the Supplementation en Vitamines et Minéraux Antioxydants (SU.VI.MAX) cohort. SUBJECTS: Subjects were water consumers-240 men and 424 women-divided into the following 4 groups (n=166 per group): regular drinkers of a calcium-rich and magnesium-rich mineral water (calcium, 486 mg/L; magnesium, 84 mg/ L), drinkers of a water classified as a moderately mineralized content (calcium, 202 mg/L; magnesium, 36 mg/L), drinkers of 2 low-mineralized waters (calcium, 9.9 to 67.6 mg/L and magnesium, 1.6 to 2 mg/L, respectively), and drinkers of tap waters. STATISTICAL ANALYSES: Quantitative data were compared using student's t test. Mean comparisons were performed in multivariate analysis by analysis of variance. RESULTS: Dietary calcium intake provided by the various food groups did not differ between the 4 consumer groups, except for calcium provided by mineral water. According to its calcium concentration, mineral water may contribute to one fourth of the total daily calcium intake. Subjects who regularly drink mineral-rich water have a calcium intake that is significantly higher (P< 10(-3)) than those drinking either low-mineral-content water or tap water. Dietary magnesium intake provided by the various food groups did not differ between the 4 consumer groups, except for magnesium provided by mineral water. Depending on the magnesium concentration of the mineral water, it contributed 6% to 17% of total daily magnesium intake. Drinkers of magnesium-rich mineral water and water with a moderate mineral content had magnesium intakes significantly (P< 10(-3)) higher than those of drinkers on low-mineralized or tap water. APPLICATIONS: Mineral-rich water may provide an important supplementary contribution to total calcium and magnesium intake. For dietetics professionals, it may provide-in place of the usual recommendations concerning the consumption of dairy products-a good way to improve calcium and magnesium intakes, particularly in subjects who don't like dairy products.

Spatial and temporal Mg2+ signaling in single human tracheal gland cells.

The combined use of Mag-indo-1 probe and laser confocal UV-microspectrofluorometry allowed us to investigate the spatial and temporal dynamic changes of the Mg2+ variations in human tracheal gland (HTG) cells at the single cell level. Stimulation of HTG cells with either bradykinin, ouabain or extracellular high Mg2+ concentrations (up to 10 mM) induced increases in intracellular Mg2+ concentration [Mg2+]i. From a cytosolic basal concentration of 0.8 +/- 0.3 mM in a medium free of Mg2+, an increase in extracellular Mg2+ concentration from 1 to 10 mM, increased cytosolic [Mg2+]i from 1.4 +/- 0.6 to 1.8 +/- 0.8 mM after 10 min (p < 0.05). We also demonstrated using line-scanned spectral images within single cells, that the [Mg2+]i is distributed uniformally in the nucleoplasm, but in contrast, showed marked local differences among different cytoplasmic regions, thus suggesting a functional heterogeneity in the intracellular Mg2+ stores involved. The influx pathway for Mg2+ in HTG cells was not inhibited by verapamil and appeared to be independent of [Ca2+]i.

Extracellular Mg2+ inhibits both histamine-stimulated Ca(2+)-signaling and exocytosis in human tracheal secretory gland cells.

The effects of extracellular Mg2+ concentration have been investigated on the histamine-stimulated exocytotic process of human tracheal secretory gland (HTG) cells. The exocytosis of secretory granules (SG) was observed concomitantly with dynamic changes of intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) and Mg2+ concentrations ([Mg2+]i). The rate of SG exocytosis was appraised by the decrease of quinacrine fluorescence emission. Dynamic changes of [Mg2+]i and [Ca2+]i in HTG cells were determined by the combined use of UV-microspectrofluorometry with Mag-Indo-1 and Indo-1 probes, respectively. High Mg2+ medium significantly inhibited the histamine-stimulated secretion. The influence of the extracellular and intracellular Mg2+ concentrations on [Ca2+]i was analyzed. Basal [Mg2+]i increased from 0.8 mM in a Mg(2+)-free medium to 1.7 mM in 10 mM Mg2+ medium. Histamine induced a [Mg2+]i increase which is dependent on extracellular Mg2+ concentration. The histamine stimulated [Ca2+]i rise was reduced in the presence of elevated Mg2+ extracellular medium and inhibitory effects of extracellular Mg2+ were concomitant with changes in [Mg2+]i. Our data suggest that the inhibition by extracellular Mg2+ of stimulated exocytosis is dependent on both the increase of [Mg2+]i and the inhibition of cytosolic Ca2+ influx.