Magnesium Lowers Metabolic Syndrome Risk

Category: Conditions of the Endocrine System

Metabolic syndrome is a group of health problems linked to heart disease and diabetes. The symptoms of metabolic syndrome include abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and insulin resistance. The National Academy of Sciences recommends 310 milligrams a day of magnesium for non-pregnant women and 400 milligrams daily for adult males. Foods such as whole grains, beans, nuts, fruits and vegetables are good dietary sources of magnesium. Now research reports that high dietary magnesium intake may be associated with a lowered risk of metabolic syndrome.

The study, published in Circulation, investigated the association between magnesium intake and metabolic syndrome. Researchers at various U.S. medical institutions analyzed the data of 4,637 young adults, aged 18 to 30, who did not have metabolic syndrome or diabetes at the beginning of the study. Food frequency questionnaires obtained from the participants were analyzed to determine dietary magnesium intake. In a 15 year follow-up, there were 608 cases of metabolic syndrome.

The researchers found that participants who consumed the most magnesium reduced the risk of metabolic syndrome by 31 percent, compared to those with the lowest intake. Furthermore, high magnesium intake was associated with a lowered risk of heart disease and diabetes, compared with participants who consumed the least magnesium.

"Magnesium intake was also inversely related to individual component of the metabolic syndrome and fasting insulin levels," write the study authors. "Our findings suggest that young adults with higher magnesium intake have lower risk of development of metabolic syndrome."


REFERENCES:
1. He K et al. Magnesium Intake and Incidence of Metabolic Syndrome Among Young Adults. Circulation 2006 Apr 4;113(13):1675-1682

Posted by Elaine Gavalas on May 4, 2014 11:00 AM