Enzymes are what make the body’s chemical reactions take place at the proper times, at the proper speed, and in the proper amounts.
Magnesium is a vital catalyst in enzyme activity, especially the activity of those enzymes involved in energy production.
The roles of the magnesium in proteins, particularly enzymes, are described in terms of their structural and catalytic functions.
Among magnesium utilizing enzymes the major role of the metal ion appears to be structural, in view of the precisely octahedral coordination of six oxygen atoms normally found in magnesium salts and complexes.
This suggests that the magnesium ion serves to orient the substrate in the required orientation for the catalytic mechanism to take place.
Magnesium is directly necessary to the enzymes that breakdown glucose, control the production of cholesterol, make nucleic acids such as DNA, make proteins, and breakdown fats.
Importantly, magnesium is necessary to the enzymes that keep potassium inside cells – including those of the cardiovascular system - where it is necessary for cellular activity and to keep sodium outside the cells, thereby preventing edema or swelling.
A deficiency of magnesium interferes with the transmission of nerve and muscle impulses, causing irritability and nervousness.
Magnesium participates in the catalytic of enzymes
