Higher intakes of potassium, magnesium and calcium are related to lower stroke risk

Higher intakes of potassium, magnesium and calcium are related to lower stroke risk

At a Glance The results of a large prospective study show that women with a higher intake of magnesium, potassium and calcium have a lower risk of stroke.    Read more about this research below.

 Calcium, potassium and magnesium are the 3 most abundant minerals in the body. Each play roles in the health of the cardiovascular system.  Although studies have shown these minerals to have benefits related to cardiovascular health, information on the relation of magnesium, potassium and calcium with stroke risk have been inconsistent. These minerals are often found together in foods, and their intakes are strongly correlated.

In a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers examined the associations between intakes of magnesium, potassium and calcium with stroke risk in a large population of women.  The participants included 180,864 women that were participants in two studies, the Nurses Health Study and Nurses Health Study 2 (NHS and NHS 2). Follow-up in the NHS was 30 years, and 22 years for the NHS 2. Food frequency questionnaires were used to document intake of each mineral and a combination of the 3 from both dietary and supplemental sources. 

During the follow-up period, a total of 3,780 stroke cases were documented. Compared to the women in the lowest 20% of magnesium intake the women with the highest 20% of intake had a 13% lower risk of stroke.  Women with the highest potassium intake had an 11% lower risk of stroke.  Women with the highest combined mineral score had a 28% reduced risk of stroke.  Based on an updated meta-analysis of all prospective studies to date, the risk of stroke was reduced 13% for each 100 mg/day increase in magnesium intake.  For each 1,000 mg/day increase in potassium intake there was a 9% reduction in stroke risk. Calcium intake was not independently associated with stroke risk.

The results of this study show that both magnesium and potassium intakes are inversely associated with stroke risk, and that women with a higher intake of the combination of magnesium, potassium and calcium have a significantly lower risk of total stroke. 

Sally N Adebamowo, Donna Spiegelman,  Walter C Willett, and  Kathryn M Rexrode.  Association between intakes of magnesium, potassium, and calcium and risk of stroke: 2 cohorts of US women and updated meta-analyses. Am J Clin Nutr June 2015   vol. 101  no. 6  1269-1277

High potassium intake during adolescence linked to reduced blood pressure

June 10, 2015 High potassium intake during adolescence linked to reduced blood pressure  At a Glance In a new study, researchers tracked the dietary habits of girls throughout adolescence and the impact on blood pressure.  Blood pressure was not affected by high sodium intakes, but the girls who ate a diet rich in potassium had a lower blood pressure during their teens and into adulthood.  Read more about this research below.   Many dietary factors, including the intake of sodium and potassium, have an influence on risk factors for blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.  More emphasis has generally been put on reducing sodium intake to lower blood pressure, but a new study published in JAMA Pediatricsshows that a diet high in potassium may better protect adolescents from high blood pressure during the teen years and in to adulthood. The eating habits and blood pressure of 2,185 girls aged 9-10 were tracked for up to 10 years. Researchers assessed the effect of dietary potassium, sodium, and the potassium to sodium ratio on blood pressure throughout the study and after 10 years of follow-up. After adjusting for race, height, activity level, television/video time, calorie intake and other dietary factors, sodium intake had not long-term effect on the girls’ blood pressure.  Girls who had higher potassium intakes throughout adolescence, however, had lower blood pressure than girls who had lower potassium intakes. And, while sodium intakes at levels of 3,500 mg/day or more had no significant impact on blood pressure, higher potassium intakes were inversely associated with blood pressure change (both diastolic and systolic) throughout adolescence and at the end of follow-up. Somewhat contrary to the advice focusing on reduction of sodium intake, this study provides evidence that consuming more potassium-rich foods during childhood may help reduce increases in adolescent blood pressure and subsequently into adulthood. Justin R. Buendia, BS; M. Loring Bradlee, MS; Stephen R. Daniels, MD, PhD; Martha R. Singer, MPH, RD; Lynn L. Moore, DSc, MPH  Longitudinal Effects of Dietary Sodium and Potassium on Blood Pressure in Adolescent Girls  JAMA Pediatr. Published online April 27, 2015. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.0411