Magnesium Excretion in Idiopathic Hypercalciuria

Given the parallelism in calcium and magnesium metabolisms, we have studied urinary magnesium in normal subjects and in patients with idiopathic hypercalciuria under conditions of basal and restricted diet, fasting, and after oral calcium overload. Serum magnesium values showed no differences between groups. Urinary magnesium levels are increased in absorptive hypercalciuria under free and restricted diet and calcium overload, returning to normal during fasting. Renal hypercalciuria patients maintain a high magnesium excretion under all conditions. This suggests that in idiopathic hypercalciuria there is an impairment of renal magnesium management, dependent on that of calcium because it normalizes when urinary calcium is normal.