Signs of magnesium deficiency are common if you know what you're talking about. Unfortunately, these manifestations are so widespread that they often go unnoticed. Almost no one, not even doctors, pays attention to the fact that the ailments we suffer from are actually symptoms of magnesium deficiency... and we pay for it.
Almost every person facing health problems, and even those people who experience minor ailments, are affected in some way by this nationwide shortage. Including you!
What is magnesium?
Magnesium is life.
It is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body, along with sulfur, which is also very important.
As a mineral, magnesium is also an electrolyte. claim that their products contain electrolytes such as magnesium, sodium, potassium, since these important nutrients are lost through sweat during exercise, and their deficiency leads to problems in athletes, such as muscle cramps. However, electrolytes (especially magnesium) do much more in the body than treat and prevent muscle cramps.
First of all, electrolytes are what keep us alive. They are responsible for electrical activity throughout the body, and for electrical conductivity in the brain as well. Without magnesium, your muscles don't contract, your heart doesn't beat, and your brain doesn't receive any signals. Magnesium is needed to stay alive. As soon as we do not receive enough magnesium, processes of energy loss begin and neuromuscular conduction, which is the basis of movement, is disrupted. Basically, if we have a magnesium deficiency, we die slowly, suffering from pain every day, feeling worse and worse every year.
Magnesium is a cofactor (activator) of more than 300 biological reactions in the body, is necessary for the normal functioning of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, is important for the proper formation of bone tissue, and is involved in temperature regulation of the body and detoxification processes in the liver. Weston A. Price writes: “Magnesium alone can serve the role of many heart medications: magnesium reduces blood clots (like aspirin), thins the blood (like Coumadin), blocks calcium uptake (like calcium channel blockers, such as Procardia/nifedipine) and relaxes blood vessels (like ACE inhibitors, eg Vasotec/enalapril)” (Pelton, 2001).
Almost everyone has signs of magnesium deficiency, but we don't see them.
Material under study
Deoxygenated blood
Interpretation of research results contains information for the attending physician and is not a diagnosis. The information in this section should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. The doctor makes an accurate diagnosis using both the results of this examination and the necessary information from other sources: medical history, results of other examinations, etc.
Units: mmol/l
Reference values: over 20 years: 0.7–1.1 mmol/l
The best ways to get magnesium
- Consume magnesium-rich organic plant foods grown in healthy soil: sunflower and sesame seeds, toasted pumpkin seeds, whole grain brown rice, spinach, almonds.
- Use ionized magnesium. This is the latest method, which is described in the book “The Magnesium Miracle”.
- Apply oil containing magnesium to your skin! This is another effective way to increase its levels in the body.
- Use bitter salt baths. In this way, the body receives not only magnesium, but also sulfur, which is also necessary for metabolism and well-being.
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Discussion
The results of this meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies indicate an inverse relationship between the concentration of Mg in the blood and the incidence of coronary artery disease, hypertension and type 2 diabetes. The present study complements the findings of previous systematic reviews on dietary Mg intake and provides additional evidence to support the potential beneficial effects of Mg on CVD and diabetes.
Comparison with previous reviews
Although no previous meta-analyses have specifically assessed the incidence of CAD, several have examined the relationship between blood Mg concentrations and CVD risk [13, 34]. One meta-analysis of prospective studies published in 2013 examined CVD incidence and mortality and found that every 0.2 mmol/L increase in blood Mg concentrations was associated with a 30% reduction in the risk of CVD and a 17% reduction in coronary heart disease. % [13]. Another meta-analysis, also published in 2013, found that the pooled RR of all CV events (including new CVD events and mortality) was 23% lower when comparing the highest and lowest Mg concentrations [34]. In addition, a recent meta-analysis found a significant but heterogeneous inverse relationship between serum Mg concentrations and the incidence of metabolic syndrome [40]. Another new meta-analysis examined the association between dietary Mg intake (but not blood concentrations) and other CVD endpoints [41]. In contrast, we focused on studying events that indicate the development of CAD, and our results complement the existing literature.
To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review to combine studies examining blood Mg concentrations and the incidence of hypertension. Our results are generally consistent with previous reviews and meta-analyses of intervention studies of Mg-containing dietary supplements [42–44]. For example, one meta-analysis of clinical trials found that Mg-containing dietary supplementation resulted in a reduction in systolic blood pressure (SBP) (by 3 to 4 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (by 2 to 3 mmHg). mmHg) both in individuals with normal blood pressure and in patients with hypertension [43]. The results of another meta-analysis showed that Mg-containing dietary supplements significantly reduced SBP (by 18.7 mmHg) and DBP (by 10.9 mmHg) in patients with hypertension and SBP > 155 mmHg. Art. [44].
Several meta-analyses have examined the relationship between dietary Mg intake and the risk of developing diabetes [9, 45–47]. For example, an updated meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies published in 2015 found a significant inverse association between Mg intake and the risk of type 2 diabetes, with a nonlinear dose-dependent response (p-value for nonlinearity = 0.003) [45]. In addition, the most recently published systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials found that Mg supplementation led to improvements in insulin sensitivity in individuals at high risk of developing diabetes [48]. Similarly, the results of our meta-analysis of the relationship between blood Mg concentrations and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes complement the results of previous systematic reviews examining dietary Mg intake or Mg-containing dietary supplements.
Strengths and Limitations
Our meta-analysis has a number of advantages. First, this is the first modern meta-analysis to examine the relationship between blood Mg concentrations and the incidence of coronary artery disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes combined in the general population. Second, this meta-analysis is based on data from high- to moderate-quality prospective cohort studies in diverse populations, reducing the likelihood that our results are subject to significant bias as a result of limitations inherent in the original studies. Third, the total sample size was relatively large, and the long follow-up allowed us to examine long-term relationships. Given that randomized controlled trials include relatively small samples with short follow-up periods, our study contributes significantly to the existing literature. Finally, our conclusions are supported by generally consistent results from categorical and linear dependence analyses, as well as robust data from sensitivity analyses.
It is also necessary to mention some limitations. Although we found significant associations, the present meta-analysis was based on only 10 published cohort studies. The limited number of data sources not only prevented us from conducting stratified or subgroup analyses, but also potentially led to overestimation or underestimation of true associations. Second, as with other meta-analyses of observational studies, limitations inherent in the original studies may introduce bias into the pooled results, although the original studies we selected adjusted for various potential confounders. It should be noted that factors such as family history of chronic diseases and information on taking medications that affect Mg metabolism were rarely mentioned in the studies included in the analysis. Third, the possibility of misclassification of both the exposure and the outcomes studied cannot be completely ruled out. However, most included studies used objective biomarkers to assess Mg concentrations and objective data (eg, medical records and death certificates) to assess outcomes. Fourth, although we found no evidence of publication bias, the possibility of such bias cannot be completely excluded due to the presence of publications in other languages. Finally, given that blood Mg concentration may not be the best biomarker, future studies should certainly evaluate other biomarkers (eg, red blood cell Mg and ionized Mg concentration), depending on the size of the study and other considerations such as budget and ethics.
Potential Mechanisms
Mg is a cofactor in more than 350 essential metabolic reactions. Particularly important is the fact that, as a component of the Mg-adenosine triphosphate complex, Mg is involved in all phosphate transfer reactions [6, 7, 49]. Experimental studies have shown that Mg can: 1) regulate the tone of vascular smooth muscles by changing the incoming current of calcium ions and intracellular signaling pathways [50, 51]; 2) regulate endothelial function by changing the synthesis and release of vasodilatory molecules prostacyclin and nitric oxide [52, 53]. These vascular effects of Mg form a link between its deficiency and the pathogenesis of IHD and hypertension. Studies have also found that Mg suppresses the formation of experimental arterial thrombosis by inhibiting platelet aggregation [54], and Mg deficiency leads to the development of inflammation in various parts of the heart [55] and acceleration of the atherosclerotic process [56], which is associated with the development of coronary artery disease. In recent meta-analyses and reviews, researchers have found that low-Mg diets and hypomagnesemia are correlated with nonspecific inflammation and oxidative stress [57–59], which are known to be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
In addition to Mg's involvement in glucose metabolism, including glycolysis and the Krebs cycle, studies have shown that Mg is essential for insulin signaling because it activates the β-subunit of the tyrosine kinase domain of the insulin receptor, which is a key step in the transmembrane signaling cascade initiated by insulin [6, 7, 60]. Animal studies have shown that Mg deficiency is accompanied by a decrease in glucose uptake and utilization in insulin-sensitive tissues, which contributes to insulin resistance and the development of diabetes [25, 61]. Moreover, in randomized controlled trials in individuals without diabetes, improvements in insulin sensitivity along with increases in serum Mg concentrations were observed with Mg-containing dietary supplements [62–64].
Application
Abbreviations
IHD - coronary heart disease; CI—confidence interval; CVD - cardiovascular diseases; DBP—diastolic blood pressure; RR—risk ratio/relative risk; Mg - magnesium; SHNO - Newcastle-Ottawa Research Quality Assessment Scale; OR—odds ratio; PRISMA—Guide to Preferred Components for the Preparation of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses; SBP—systolic blood pressure; DM - diabetes mellitus
Acknowledgments
Not applicable
Financing
The study was supported by a grant from the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (14DZ2272400, to VK), China, and a grant from the National Institutes of Health, USA (R01ES021735, to KH).
Availability of data and materials
All data obtained or analyzed during this study are included in these published articles 11, 23–32]. No additional data available.
Authors' contributions
VK: administrative support; KH and VK: study concept and design; CV, PS and CT: literature search, study selection, data extraction; PS: statistical analyses; CV and PS: preparation of tables and figures; CV, PS and KH: draft of the article; VK and KH: general management of the work. All authors fully agreed with all data obtained in the study, critically revised the article for important intellectual content, and approved the final version of the article. VK and KH are primarily responsible for the final version of the article.
Ethical approval and consent to participate in the study
Not applicable.
Consent to publication
Not applicable.
Conflict of interest
The authors declared no conflict of interest.
conclusions
This meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies showed an inverse relationship between the concentration of Mg in the blood and the incidence of coronary artery disease, hypertension and type 2 diabetes. The results of this meta-analysis complement previous reviews examining the association between dietary Mg intake and the risk of CVD and diabetes. Further studies are needed to obtain more reliable evidence, identify a dose-dependent response and establish the optimal range of Mg concentrations in the blood to help prevent coronary artery disease, hypertension and type 2 diabetes.
