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Influence of Maternal Magnesium Deficiency on Tissue Lead Content of Rats¹

School of Home Economics, Department of Foods and Nutrition, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331

Diets containing 150 or 600 ppm magnesium with or without 200 ppm lead were fed to rats throughout gestation and lactation to determine the influence of moderate magnesium deficiency on tissue lead content of maternal and offspring tissue. During lactation it was necessary to increase the lowest dietary magnesium level to 225 ppm. Lead caused a significant depression in both gestational weight gain and average pup weight regardless of the level of dietary magnesium. Maternal magnesium deficiency was evidenced by significant reductions in serum and tibia magnesium, a 17-fold increase in kidney calcium, and hyperemia of the ears. In offspring, however, only growth and tibia magnesium were significantly affected by the magnesium deficiency, and the maternal-fetal difference in serum and tibia magnesium concentration was maintained. Maternal magnesium deficiency resulted in significantly higher lead concentrations in dam liver, and offspring erythrocytes, liver and tibia. A mechanism for the enhanced accumulation of lead in maternal and offspring tissue as a result of maternal magnesium deficiency is not defined, but it is likely to involve enhanced intestinal lead absorption.

KEY WORDS: • lead • magnesium • pregnancy

¹ Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station Technical Paper no. 6691.

Manuscript received 21 January 1983.