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Allergic Rhinitis

hypomagnesemiaWhat Is Hypomagnesemia?

[dropcap]H ypomagnesemia means the level of magnesium in the bloodstream is too low to meet metabolic needs of the body for this mineral.

Q: What are the metabolic needs of the body for magnesium?

A: The metabolic needs of the body for magnesium are numerous which gives rise to very many distressing symptoms when this mineral is deficient.

A major function of magnesium is to stabilize the structure of an enzyme called adenosine triphosphate (ATP) within cells for the production of energy. In the brain, magnesium plays important roles in all the major metabolisms such as oxidation-reduction and regulation of ions (charged minerals).1

What Is Hypomagnesemia In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:
  1. Bourre JM. Effects of nutrients (in food) on the structure and function of the nervous system: update on dietary requirements for brain. Part 1: micronutrients. J Nutr Health Aging. 2006 Sep-Oct;10(5):377-85. [↩]

Geographic Tongue

Geographic Tongue Due to Riboflavin Deficiency.
Geographic Tongue Due to Riboflavin Deficiency.

 What Is Geographic Tongue?

[dropcap]G[/dropcap]eographic tongue is a painful alteration in tongue tissue that is characteristic of riboflavin (vitamin B2) deficiency.1

Q: How does the tongue surface appear?

A: Areas of inflamed tissue with flattened papillae develop among areas of normal tissue, giving a map-like appearance to the tongue surface. There are often swollen papillae that hurt or sting, such as is seen in the photo to the left.

A diet that does not provide adequate amounts of riboflavin and any condition that 1) interferes with riboflavin absorption from the gut, 2) depletes the vitamin from the body, 3) overuses the vitamin in the body, or 4) adversely affects its use in the body will result in riboflavin deficiency causing geographic tongue.

Riboflavin is essential for converting foodstuffs into energy, maintaining the normal lifespan of red blood cells and maintaining healthy skin, eyes, hair, and nervous system. Riboflavin is converted into its active forms, flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and flavin mononucleotide (FMN). These enzymes are primarily involved as co-factors in oxidation reduction reactions that are essential for cellular energy production and respiration.

Riboflavin is required for the conversion of pyridoxine (vitamin B6) to its functional form and the production of niacin (vitamin B3) from the amino acid tryptophan. Riboflavin has a role in antioxidant status by activating glutathione reductase, which regenerates used glutathione, a powerful antioxidant.

Respiratory infection, exercise, certain diseases, drugs and hormones can adversely influence riboflavin status.2 Stress is a major depleter of riboflavin.

What Is Geographic Tongue In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:
  1. Krause’s Food, Nutrition, & Diet Therapy. 10th Edition. Kathleen Mahan, Sylvia Escott-Stump. 2000. W.B. Saunders Company. [↩]
  2. Lakshmi AV. Riboflavin metabolism–relevance to human nutrition. Indian J Med Res. 1998 Nov;108:182-90. [↩]