Dietary magnesium intake and the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and all-cause mortality: a dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies
Fang X, Wang K, Han D, He X, Wei J
Published in BMC Medicine
Abstract
Meta-analysis demonstrating inverse association between magnesium intake and cardiovascular disease risk, including coronary heart disease and stroke.
Methodology
Dose-response meta-analysis of 40 prospective cohort studies identified through PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science, using random-effects models and restricted cubic splines.
Key Findings
Comparing highest with lowest dietary magnesium intake, risk was reduced for total cardiovascular disease (RR 0.85), ischaemic heart disease (RR 0.78), type 2 diabetes (RR 0.81) and stroke (RR 0.88). Dose-response analysis showed roughly a 10% lower risk of coronary heart disease and 12% lower stroke risk, and a 19% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, per 100 mg/day increment. No significant association was found with total cardiovascular mortality or all-cause mortality.
Conclusions
Higher dietary magnesium intake is associated with a modestly lower risk of stroke, heart failure, type 2 diabetes and all-cause mortality in some analyses, supporting adequate dietary magnesium. Because the data are observational, they do not establish that magnesium supplements produce the same benefit.
Limitations
Observational cohorts only, so residual confounding by overall diet quality and healthy-user behaviour cannot be excluded; magnesium intake estimated from food-frequency questionnaires with measurement error; heterogeneity across cohorts; supplement use was not the exposure studied.
Supplements Studied
Comparing highest with lowest dietary magnesium intake, risk was reduced for total cardiovascular disease (RR 0.85), ischaemic heart disease (RR 0.78), type 2 diabetes (RR 0.81) and stroke (RR 0.88). Dose-response analysis showed roughly a 10% lower risk of coronary heart disease and 12% lower stroke risk, and a 19% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, per 100 mg/day increment. No significant association was found with total cardiovascular mortality or all-cause mortality.
Related Health Concerns
Study Details
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This information is for educational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimen.