Page - (000156) - in Biomedical Chemistry: Current Trends and Developments

positive regulation of 24 genes (some of them involved in magnesium homeostasis)] (Chacko, 2011). Additionally, magnesium supplementation reduced liver damage induced by ethanol ingestion both in humans (Poikolainen, 2008) and in rats (Markiewicz-Gorka, 2011). Although magnesium deprivation alone may induce metabolic abnormalities similar to those observed in rodents under chronic high- fructose feeding (model of diet-induced MetSyn), upon magnesium deficiency high-fructose feeding metabolic actions are potentiated (Busserolles, 2003; Rayssiguier, 2006). In this context, magnesium supplementation of rats submitted to high-fructose feeding prevented and/or improved the alterations induced by fructose. In particular, it ameliorated insulin sensitivity [evaluated as homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and muscle glucose utilization] and fasting circulating lipid profile, and decreased blood pressure as well as fasting circulating glucose, insulin and lipid peroxidation marker levels (Balon, 1994; Olatunji, 2007). In this regard, we have described that the Portuguese natural mineral-rich water mentioned above partially prevented the decrease of the hepatic magnesium content of fructose-fed Sprague-Dawley rats (Pereira, 2014a). 2.3.4 Calcium and MetSyn/MetSyn Features – Associated Mechanisms Serum calcium levels are increased in individuals with MetSyn and positively correlated with serum triglycerides and blood pressure values (Park, 2012; Cho, 2011). Calcium and/or dairy products ingestion has been associated with decreased adipose tissue mass, lower blood pressure, better circulating lipid profile (increased HDL-cholesterol and decreased total-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels as well as decreased total-cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol ratio and increased HDL- cholesterol to LDL-cholesterol ratio) and prevention/reduced incidence of insulin resistance, T2DM and MetSyn (Teegarden, 2006; van Meijl, 2008; Tremblay, 2009; Abete, 2011; Rice, 2011). The inconsistency between serum calcium levels and dietary calcium intake values with