Does high dietary magnesium intake prevent coronary heart disease?

Takeaway

• In patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), higher magnesium (Mg) intake, higher 24-hour urinary Mg excretion, and higher plasma Mg concentration are associated with a low prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD).

Why this matters

• Only a few studies have assessed the relation between association with vegetable-derived Mg intake and CHD in patients with T2DM.
• Animal studies show that high Mg status inhibits vascular calcification and low Mg status cause cardiac arrhythmias.

Study design

• Cross-sectional analysis of 450 patients (CHD, n=100; no CHD, n=350) with T2DM from the DIAbetes and LifEstyle Cohort Twente-1 (DIALECT-1).
• Patients were evaluated using the Short QUestionnaire to ASses Health enhancing physical activity (SQUASH) questionnaire and semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire.
• Funding: None.

Key results

• Significant correlation between dietary Mg intake and 24-hour urinary Mg excretion (P<.001) was observed, but not with plasma Mg (P=.64), and 24-hour urinary Mg excretion was significantly correlated with plasma Mg (P<.008).
• After adjustments, CHD prevalence was significantly lower with high Mg intake (prevalence ratio [PR], 0.40), high 24-hour urinary Mg excretion (PR, 0.63) and high plasma Mg concentration (PR, 0.62).
• Non-significant reduction in CHD prevalence was seen with every 10 mg of dietary Mg intake derived from vegetables (PR, 0.75).

Limitations

• Risk for bias.