Magnesium has taken a back seat to calcium for many years, but it’s finally getting noticed. It has just as many – if not more – benefits to health and should not be neglected. In fact, new research shows that it could even save your life.
As part of the ongoing Nurses’ Health Study, researchers examined the magnesium levels of 88,375 women. Over the twenty-six year follow-up there were 505 cases of sudden cardiac death among the participants. Read more about heart disease
The researchers found that the risk of sudden cardiac death (also known as sudden cardiac arrest) was 37 per cent lower in women who had the most magnesium in their diet and blood, compared with those who had the least amount. With every 0.25 mg/dL increase in magnesium, there was a 41 per cent reduction in the risk of sudden cardiac death.
Of the 400,000 Americans struck with sudden cardiac death each year, 120,000 are women. If you’re already taking calcium supplements, purchase a product that contains both calcium and magnesium. Most experts recommend taking half as much magnesium as calcium, but considering its importance, taking a one-to-one ratio – that is, the same amount of magnesium as calcium – is not a bad idea.
Chiuve, S., Korngold, E., Januzzi,J., Gantzer, M., and Albert, C. (2010) “Plasma and dietary magnesium and risk of sudden cardiac death in women” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, doi: 10.3945/ajcn.110.002253.
