Magnesium and cardiovascular risk: a cohort study

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[Background and purpose]: Magnesium (Mg) in the human body is closely associated with physiological functions such as arterial vasodilatation and anti-inflammation together with other minerals (sodium (Na), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and inorganic phosphorus (IP)). Carotid atherosclerosis is considered as a predictor of systemic atherosclerosis.Therefore, we investigated the association between the serum Mg concentration and carotid atherosclerosis in the general Japanese population.[Methods] The study population consisted of 715 individuals (223 men) at least 55 years of age (mean 67 years) from the general population in Ohasama, Japan. The intima-media thickness (IMT) of the near and far walls of both common carotid arteries was measured and averaged. Serum Mg was measured by the xlidyl blue reaction. The relationship between the serum Mg concentration and carotid atherosclerosis was examined by multivariate analysis adjusted for possible comfounding factors.[Results] Higher levels of the serum Mg concentration were significantly associated with lower risks of carotid atherosclerosis. We observed similar trends after adjustment for possible comfounding factors including other minerals (Na, K, Ca or IP) [mean IMT: P<0.001, plaque (2 or more): P<0.05]. Such associations were more remarkable in women than for men.[Conclusion] We demonstrated that higher levels of the serum Mg concentration were strongly associated with lower risks of carotid atherosclerosis independent of other risk factors and minerals, suggesting that lower levels of the serum Mg concentration were a risk or predictive factor of carotid atherosclerosis.