Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Between 70% and 80% of Americans are not getting the recommended amount of magnesium, an essential nutrient for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the human body. A recent analysis from researchers at Harvard suggests that increasing magnesium intake may have significant heart health benefits, potentially lowering the risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD) by 22%.

The data set for this study included 16 studies with a total of 313,041 participants. The researchers found that every 0.2 mmol/L increase in circulating magnesium (magnesium already moving through the blood system) was associated with a 30% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, but not associated with any change in the risk of IHD.

The 22% lower risk of IHD was seen when dietary intake of magnesium was increased by 200 mg per day.

The study was published online ahead of print on May 29, 2013, in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Previous studies have found that higher intakes of magnesium may reduce the risk of diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure and osteoporosis.

Eating more magnesium rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, meats, starches, grains, nuts and milk is one way to increase your magnesium intake. Taking a supplement is also a good option.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

An analysis of eight studies suggests that consuming more magnesium may reduce the risk of developing colon cancer by up to 11%.

The studies included 338,979 participants, 8,000 of whom had colon cancer. The researchers determined that the highest consumption of magnesium was associated with an 11% reduction in occurrences of colon cancer when compared with the lowest consumption. Additionally, the risk of rectal cancer was reduced by 6%.

Additionally, for every 50 mg of magnesium increase per day, the risk of colon cancer was reduced by 7%.

The study was conducted at the School of Public Health at Soochow University in China. It was published online ahead of print on October 3, 2012 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Previous studies have found that higher intakes of magnesium may reduce the risk of diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure and osteoporosis.

Eating more magnesium rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, meats, starches, grains, nuts and milk is one way to increase your magnesium intake. Taking a supplement is also a good option.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

A British analysis suggests that eating more foods rich in magnesium – such as green leafy vegetables, grains, nuts, and milk – may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by up to 12%.

One of the studies the researchers examined included 1,477 participants, 768 of whom consumed magnesium and 709 controls. They found that increasing magnesium intake by 100 mg was associated with a 19% reduced risk of developing benign colorectal tumors. However, the correlation only appeared in overweight people older than 55.

The researchers also conducted a meta-analysis of studies examining the effect of magnesium on colorectal cancer and found that 100 mg increases of magnesium were associated with a 13% reduced risk of benign tumors and a 12% reduced risk in developing colorectal cancer.

There are a limited number of studies on the effects of magnesium on colorectal cancer, so the researchers here caution that more investigation is needed in order to determine the exact mechanism and association between the two.

The study was conducted by researchers at Imperial College London and Wageningen University. There results were published online ahead of print August 1, 2012, in the American Journal of Nutrition.

These findings add to the quickly growing body of scientific evidence highlighting the benefits of magnesium. Previous studies have found that higher intakes of magnesium may reduce the risk of diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure and osteoporosis.

Eating more magnesium rich foods like green leafy vegetables, meats, starches, grains, nuts and milk is one way to increase your magnesium intake. Taking a supplement is also a safe, easy option.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Heart problems are the leading cause of death in the United States. A recent extensive study suggests that eating foods rich in magnesium could dramatically lower the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

The study was published online ahead of print on February 16, 2012, in the journal Atherosclerosis. The researchers were based at Osaka University in Japan.

The researchers examined data from the Japan Collaborative Cohort (JACC) study, which included 58,615 Japanese adults between the ages of 40 and 79. Dietary magnesium intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire.

Over the course of the 15 year follow-up, 2,690 deaths from cardiovascular disease were documented in the study group. The researchers found that the individuals with the highest level of dietary magnesium intake had a 50% reduction in the risk of death from heart disease compared to those with the lowest level.

These findings add to the quickly growing body of scientific evidence highlighting the benefits of magnesium. Previous studies have found that higher intakes of magnesium may reduce the risk of diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure and osteoporosis.

Eating more magnesium rich foods like green leafy vegetables, meats, starches, grains, nuts and milk is one way to increase your magnesium intake. Taking a supplement is also a safe, easy option.

Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

The scientific community has been at odds over whether magnesium has an effect on blood pressure. Researchers at the University of Herfordshire in the United Kingdom conducted a meta-analysis to address this issue and found that the ability of magnesium to lower blood pressure, while small, was clinically significant.

The study was published online ahead of print on February 8, 2011, in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Twenty-two trials were involved in the analysis, with a total of 1,173 participants. Magnesium levels started at 120 mg and ranged up to 973 mg. The trials lasted from 3 to 24 weeks.

The researchers found that supplementation resulted in a 3 to 4 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure and a 2 to 3 mmHg reduction in diastolic blood pressure. They also discovered that supplementation over 370 milligrams daily produced the best results.

Lowering systolic blood pressure by 0.8 to 2 mmHg has been shown to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, heart failure, and stroke.

Diastolic blood pressure is the pressure in blood vessels when the heart is resting. It is represented by the bottom number on a blood pressure reading and anything above 90 mmHg is considered high. Systolic blood pressure is the pressure in blood vessels when the heart is beating and is represented by the top number in a blood pressure reading. Readings above 140 mmHg are considered high.

In addition to blood pressure and heart health, magnesium intake has also been linked to helping with bone development, healthy teeth and detoxification. A supplement is an effective way to get your daily magnesium but there are also many dietary sources of magnesium including green leafy vegetables, meats, starches, grains, nuts and milk.

Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

Researchers at the Karolinska Institut in Stockholm conducted a meta-analysis to establish the association between magnesium intake and reduced risk of stroke. Previous studies have been unable to conclusively determine the role of magnesium in stroke risk.

The findings will be published in the February 2012 issue of the American Society for Nutrition.

Seven studies were included in this large scale meta-analysis. In total, 241,378 individuals participated in the studies, with 6,477 cases of stroke.

The researchers noted that every increase of 100 mg/day of magnesium was associated with an 8% reduction in total stroke risk and a 9% reduction in ischemic stroke. In an ischemic stroke, blood supply to part of the brain is decreased. No association was seen between magnesium and other forms of stroke.

The researchers believe that these results could come from a few potential effects of magnesium, including lowering blood pressure and magnesium’s ability to reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes. They noted that more research is needed to determine the exact mechanism behind the health benefits seen here.

This is not the first study to reveal a health benefit of magnesium. Magnesium intake has also been linked to helping with bone development, healthy teeth, detoxification and lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.

A supplement is an effective way to get your daily magnesium but there are also many dietary sources of magnesium such as green leafy vegetables, meats, starches, grains, nuts and milk.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

A study published in the February 2011 issue of the journal Clinical Nutrition shows that people with diabetes may want to pay closer attention to their magnesium intake.

Magnesium is an essential mineral which plays a role in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It is found naturally in green leafy vegetables, meats, starches, grains, nuts and milk. While it is present in a number of foods, most Americans do not consume the recommended daily amount which is 320mg for women and 420mg for men.

For the study, researchers from the Department of Food and Experimental Nutrition at the University of São Paulo recruited 51 participants with type 2 diabetes.

The researchers found that 77% of the participants had a magnesium deficiency. When the researchers compared participants with low levels of magnesium to those with normal levels they found that low magnesium negatively affected glycemic levels.

They stated that due to the involvement of magnesium in the use and supply of energy, it makes sense that a deficiency would result in impairment of metabolic control.

This study follows a recent study published in the November 2010 issue of the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism which found that magnesium may help reduce the risk of diabetes among people that are overweight.

Magnesium has also been linked to a number of other benefits including helping with bone development and reducing the risks of stroke and abnormal blood pressure.

A supplement is a great way to get your daily magnesium but there are also many dietary sources of magnesium such as green leafy vegetables, meats, starches, grains and nuts and milk.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Researchers at the Institute of Sports Sciences in Giessen, Germany have found that magnesium may help reduce the risk of diabetes among overweight individuals. The results of their study were published in the November 2010 issue of Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.

52 overweight, insulin resistant, non-diabetic volunteers were recruited to participate in the study. They were randomly assigned to receive a daily supplement containing 365mg of magnesium or a placebo for 6 months.

At the end of the study period, the researchers observed improvements in two out of three measures of insulin sensitivity among the participants given the magnesium supplements.

This research follows a study published last year in the September 2010 issue of Diabetes Care which found that among 4,497 participants, those with the highest magnesium intake were 50% less likely to develop diabetes.

These findings are very promising, and timely, with diabetes rates skyrocketing in recent years. Estimates show that nearly 25 million Americans are currently affected by diabetes, which equates to 8% of the American population. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predict that by the year 2050, one in three U.S. adults could have diabetes.

Beyond diabetes benefits, magnesium also plays a role in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. For this reason, it is no surprise that magnesium has also been linked to a number of other benefits including helping with bone development and reducing the risks of stroke and abnormal blood pressure.

Unfortunately, most American adults do not get the recommended daily value for magnesium, which is 320 mg for women and 420 mg for men.

A supplement is a great way to get your daily magnesium but there are also many dietary sources of magnesium such as green leafy vegetables, meats, starches, grains and nuts and milk.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

Women with higher intakes of magnesium may have a significantly lower risk of dying from sudden cardiac arrest according to a recent study by Harvard researchers. The study was published in the October 2010 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Magnesium is an essential mineral which plays a role in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It is found naturally in green leafy vegetables, meats, starches, grains, nuts and milk. While it is present in a number of foods, most Americans do not consume the recommended daily amount which is 320mg for women and 420mg for men.

For the study the researchers analyzed data from 88,375 women participating in the Nurses’ Health Study.

The women were followed for 26 years and during that time 505 cases of sudden cardiac death were reported.

When the researchers compared women with the highest magnesium intake to those with the lowest intakes they found a 37% increased risk of sudden cardiac death among women with the lowest intake.

These findings add to the quickly growing body of scientific evidence highlighting the benefits of magnesium. Previous studies have found that higher intakes of magnesium may reduce the risk of diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure and osteoporosis.

Eating more magnesium rich foods like green leafy vegetables is one way to increase your magnesium intake. Taking a supplement is also a safe, easy option.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Consuming more magnesium through your diet, or through supplements, may help prevent diabetes according to a study published in the September 2010 issue of Diabetes Care.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill recruited 4,497 men and women between 18 and 30 years of age for the study.

None of the participants had diabetes at the start of the study but after a 20 year follow-up period 330 of the participants were diagnosed.

The researchers found that people with the highest magnesium intake (200 mg for every 1000 calories) were almost 50% less likely to develop diabetes compared to those with the lowest intakes (100 mg per 1000 calories.)

The researchers also found a reduction in numerous markers of inflammation and insulin resistance as magnesium intakes increased.

The researchers noted that these findings may explain why whole grains, which are high in magnesium, have been linked to reductions in diabetes risk. More large scale studies are still needed, however, in order to conclusively verify that relationship.

Beyond diabetes benefits magnesium also plays a role in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. For this reason, it is no surprising that magnesium has also been linked to a number of other benefits including helping with bone development and reducing the risks of stroke and abnormal blood pressure.

Unfortunately, most American adults do not get the recommended daily value for magnesium, which is 320 mg for women and 420 mg for men.

A supplement is a great way to get your daily magnesium but there are also many dietary sources of magnesium such as green leafy vegetables, meats, starches, grains and nuts and milk.