Maillard reaction products consumption: Magnesium bioavailability and bone mineralization in rats

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of the consumption of Maillard reaction products (MRP), derived from glucose-lysine and glucose-methionine mixtures heated for 90 minutes, on magnesium bioavailability and tissue concentration. Magnesium balances were performed in rats. Subsequently, the animals were sacrificed and certain organs removed to analyze the magnesium contents. Glucose-methionine MRP induced increases in magnesium fractional absorption in the last week of the assay (69.2 ± 2.9%) compared with the control group (59.4 ± 1.3%), although no variations in magnesium bioavailability during the total period balance were found. The intake of both MRP assayed seemed to increase renal and hepatic magnesium, decrease calcium bone concentration and mask the positive effect of the free amino acids still present in the samples on bone magnesium. The results show that MRP dietary consumption could lead to changes in bone mineralization. The long-term effects should be more deeply studied to predict possible implications for bone health.