Abstract
Magnesium ions (Mg2+) are essential for various enzymatic reactions in the body associated with energy production and activation of the muscles and nerves. Mg2+ is also involved in blood pressure regulation, maintenance of body temperature, and glucose metabolism. Although various factors including foods and physical conditions have been reported to change serum Mg2+ status in humans, serum Mg2+ in dogs exposed to external stress has been unclear. In this study, we examined serum levels of Mg2+ in dogs at different conditions using the guide dog candidates for the blind. Serum Mg2+ was decreased in winter and increased in summer. Guide dog candidates in an elementary class of the training showed markedly lower levels of serum Mg2+, compared with that of dogs in an advanced class. When healthy adult dogs were subjected to forced exercise using a treadmill, a significant reduction in serum Mg2+ levels was observed, particularly in winter. These findings suggest that serum levels of Mg2+ may be influenced by weather fluctuation such as air temperature, nervousness in unaccustomed situations, age, and physical stress induced by exercise. The results indicate that Mg2+ supplementation should be considered for working dogs, dogs moving or traveling to a new environment, and dogs during winter.
Highlights
Magnesium ions (Mg2+) are one of the essential minerals necessary to maintain life
Dogs have long history as good partners of humans, we found very few report on changes in Mg concentrations of dogs induced by external stress
We focused on serum Mg2+ levels as one of biomarkers fluctuated by external stress
Summary
Magnesium ions (Mg2+) are one of the essential minerals necessary to maintain life. Most Mg2+ is stored in the cells of organs and tissues, in the bones and teeth. Mg2+ is necessary for the synthesis of proteins, energy metabolism (Pfeiffer and Barnes, 1981; He et al., 2006), contraction of the muscles (Altura and Altura, 1981), blood pressure regulation (Resnick et al, 2000; He et al, 2005), and modulating blood glucose levels (Dominguez et al, 1998; Singh et al, 1998), as well as a considerable number of enzymatic reactions within the body (Cowan, 2002). Intravenous injection of catecholamine induced a marked increase of Mg2+ excretion in the urine (Rayssiguier, 1977; Joborn et al, 1985), suggesting catecholamine may reduce blood Mg2+ levels. Reduction in Mg2+ intake has been reported to be associated with severity of depression and anxiety in community-dwelling adults, and administration of Mg2+ to patients improved their conditions (Jacka et al, 2009)
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