Magnesium and Zinc Involvement in Tobacco Addiction

This paper is a review regarding magnesium and zinc influence on smoking and tobacco addiction. Magnesium and zinc are two very important bivalent cations involved in different functions of central nervous system. There are different mechanisms by which magnesium can decrease the nicotine addiction. Magnesium decrease the dopamine release and the NMDA receptor stimulation by glutamate (two essential steps in the devolopment of nicotine addiction). This cation also inhibits the synthesis of substance P and nitric oxide, others important neurotransmiters involved in addiction. Magnesium may decrease the nicotine effect on GABA synthesis and could reduce also NPY involvement in nicotine addiction. Zinc also reduces the glutamatergic brain systems activity and modulates the nicotinic receptors activity from brain. The hypomagnesemia favorises the development of tobacco addiction .The magnesium treatment can be beneficial for reducing the smoking and nicotine addiction in heavy smokers. By increasing the magnesium concentration we can moderately improve the stimulation of the reward system and can reduce the needs of stimulation by nicotine or by others addictive substances. The treatment of intracellular and plasma magnesium deficit could be way to minimize the development of tobacco smoking and nicotine addiction.