High magnesium intakes reduce cardiovascular and cancer mortality risk

High magnesium intakes reduce cardiovascular and cancer mortality risk

At a Glance

In a newly published study of adults at high risk for heart disease, magnesium intake was inversely associated with cardiovascular, cancer and all-cause mortality.

Read more about this research below. 

Previous research has shown that magnesium plays a role in normal blood pressure, helps inhibit platelet aggregation, modulates inflammation, and is important for normal vascular health. In a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, researchers sought to assess the association between magnesium intake and cardiovascular (CVD) and mortality risk in a Mediterranean population at high risk of heart disease.

The study included 7,216 men and women aged 55-80 years that were at high risk of CVD. Participants were randomly assigned to Mediterranean diets supplemented with nuts or olive oil or a control low-fat diet.

After an average follow-up time of about 5 years, there were 323 total deaths documented. Of those, there were 81 deaths from cardiovascular disease (stroke, heart attack, heart disease), and 130 deaths from cancer.

Compared to lower consumers (average 312 mg/day), the subjects in the highest third of intake (average 442 mg/day) had a 59% reduced risk of death from CVD, a 37% decreased risk of death from cancer, and a 34% reduction in all-cause mortality.

In this study of Mediterranean adults, high intakes of magnesium in the diet reduced overall mortality, and deaths from cardiovascular disease and cancer. It is estimated that only about 20-30% of U.S. adults are currently meeting the recommended intake of magnesium in their diets.

Marta Guasch-Ferré et al. Dietary Magnesium Intake Is Inversely Associated with Mortality in Adults at High Cardiovascular Risk. First published November 20, 2013, doi: 10.3945/​jn.113.183012.