Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Analysis of 16 studies found that an intake of 250 mg of magnesium per day decreased the risk of a fatal heart attack by 27% compared to the lowest intake of 175 mg per day, while the highest intake level of 400 mg per day resulted in a 22% decreased risk.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in every 4 deaths in the United States is due to cardiovascular disease. This results in 715,000 Americans each year having a heart attack, with 525,000 being a first heart attack and 190,000 being a repeat heart attack. Cardiovascular disease costs our healthcare system $108.9 billion each year (1).
Current recommendations for maintaining heart health include: following your doctor’s instructions regarding any medications you may be taking, eating a healthy diet low in salt, total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol, rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, and getting exercise such as a brisk 10-minute walk, 3 times a day, 5 days per week (1).
Now a new review of the literature (2) suggests magnesium is a viable option for heart health. Research has shown that magnesium can help maintain blood vessel health, optimize how our body breaks down fat for energy, and help maintain healthy levels of inflammation and blood clotting (3). Magnesium also plays an important role in helping potassium maintain heart cell function (4), since having very low blood levels of magnesium (< 0.65 millimoles/Liter) is a known risk factor for heart attack (5).
In the review, researchers analyzed data from 16 studies of 313,041 subjects and included 11,995 cases of cardiovascular disease, 7,534 cases of a type of heart disease called ischemic heart disease, and 2,686 fatal heart attacks and strokes. The researchers found 2 significant results:
- The maximum protective effect of magnesium was seen at 250 mg per day, producing a 27% reduced risk of having a fatal heart attack or stroke compared to those with the lowest intakes per day (< 175 mg/day, p < 0.001).
- At the highest levels of magnesium intake (up to 400 mg per day), there was a 22% reduced risk.
The researchers also cited research suggesting an increased need for consumption of magnesium-rich foods, such as whole grains, nuts, and vegetables. One extra serving per day of whole grains and vegetables and two extra servings per week of nuts will help lower the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 28% (6).
For the researchers, this study “provides the most robust evidence to date of the associations between circulating and dietary magnesium and cardiovascular disease risk, which supports the need for clinical trials to evaluate the potential role of magnesium in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.”
Source: Del Gobbo, Liana C., et al. “Circulating and dietary magnesium and risk of cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 98.1 (2013): 160-173.
© 2013 American Society for Nutrition
Posted June 25, 2013.
Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com
References:
- “America’s Heart Disease Burden” posted on the CDC Website.
- Del Gobbo LC. Circulating and dietary magnesium and risk of cardiovascular disease:a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. Amer Jou Clin Nutr 2013. doi:10.3945/ajcn.112.053132.
- Shechter M. Magnesium and cardiovascular system. Magnes Res 2010; 23:60–72.
- Mubagwa K, Gwanyanya A, Zakharov S, Macianskiene R. Regulation of cation channels in cardiac and smooth muscle cells by intracellular magnesium. Arch Biochem Biophys 2007;458:73–89.
- AHA (ECC Guidelines). Guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care, Part 8: Advanced challenges in resuscitation: Section 1: Life-threatening electrolyte abnormalities. Circulation 2000;102:I217–22.
- Mozaffarian D, Capewell S. United Nations’ dietary policies to prevent cardiovascular disease. BMJ 2011;343:d5747.
