Magnesium May Lower Levels of Inflammatory Marker C-reactive Protein

Chronic high inflammation can lead to a range of health problems, including diabetes, depression and heart disease. A recent study suggests that taking a magnesium supplement may help lower levels of the inflammatory biomarker C-reactive protein (CRP).

For their analysis, researchers examined data from 11 studies. All of the studies looked at the effects of magnesium supplementation on CRP, a common marker of inflammation.

After examining the data, the researchers found that magnesium had no overall effect on CRP levels. However, when they looked specifically at people who had high CRP levels at the beginning of the study, they found that magnesium was associated with a significant reduction in CRP levels over the course of the study period. This suggests that magnesium may have a beneficial role in the management of chronic inflammation.

Researchers from Mexican Social Security Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in Iran, and Royal Perth Hospital in Australia conducted the study. It was published online ahead of print on May 25, 2027, in Current Pharmaceutical Design.

Magnesium helps build bones, enables nerves to function, and is essential to the production of energy from food. Previous studies have linked magnesium to reduced incidences of heart disease, hypertension and diabetes. Magnesium deficiency, which tends to be especially prevalent in older populations, is linked to insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, coronary heart disease 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.