Magnesium slashes risk of sudden heart failure in women

Tuesday, December 28, 2010 by: John Phillip
Tags: magnesium, heart failure, health news

(NewsTarget) Magnesium is an essential mineral that is required to sustain healthy blood vessels, generate cellular energy, and maintain healthy nerve and muscle function. Required to perform more than 300 critical biochemical reactions throughout the body, magnesium is especially important to heart health as it is known to help maintain healthy heart rhythm and blood pressure. The results of research conducted at the Harvard Medical School show the importance of magnesium to lower risk of death from sudden cardiac death. Adding more magnesium-rich foods to your diet will dramatically improve your chances of surviving a heart attack.

High Magnesium from Diet Critical to Heart Health
Obtaining sufficient magnesium from your diet can be difficult due to poor farming practices that provide 75% lower yield of the mineral in harvested crops as compared to a century ago. The result of a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition provides evidence that women with the highest dietary intake of magnesium were 41% less likely to suffer a fatal cardiac event.

The study followed more than 88,000 women over a period of 30 years and examined magnesium intake as well as other vital nutrients and lifestyle factors. Women in the highest quartile for dietary magnesium consumption experienced the highest degree of protection from sudden cardiac death. The study authors determined that 291 lives were spared in the study group for those women with the highest magnesium intake.

The study authors concluded: "In this prospective cohort of women, higher plasma concentrations and dietary magnesium intakes were associated with lower risks of sudden cardiac death. If the observed association is causal, interventions directed at increasing dietary or plasma magnesium might lower the risk of sudden cardiac death."

Adding Magnesium to Your Diet
Rich sources of magnesium can be obtained from a diet high in green leafy vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds. The minimum recommended daily allowance for the mineral is set at 320 mg per day for women while men need 420 mg. Studies indicate that the vast majority of adults are deficient in their daily intake, despite their best efforts to eat a diet enriched with magnesium.

Magnesium exists is a number of different forms in nature and current research demonstrates that it is important to consume a variety of different food sources to ensure maximum bioavailability. Many people are best advised to supplement as diet may not be a reliable source of this critical mineral.

Magnesium Improves Insulin Resistance
Magnesium works together with calcium to regulate blood sugar and assist the normal function of insulin. The results of a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology show that women with the highest intake of magnesium from diet or supplements are associated with a 27% lower risk of developing suboptimal insulin function. Those individuals with the lowest levels of circulating magnesium are 25% to 38% more likely to develop insulin resistance resulting in poor blood glucose regulation.

We don`t traditionally think much about our daily intake of magnesium, yet research confirms the essential and critical nature of this mineral. Important to a wide variety of organic functions throughout the body, magnesium has risen to superstar status for its demonstrated ability to prevent sudden heart failure and regulate insulin function. Carefully monitor your diet and supplement as necessary to ensure proper magnesium intake and dramatically lower your risk of sudden cardiac death.

Article References:
http://www.ajcn.org/content/early/2010/11/24...
http://www.naturalproductsmarketplace.com/ar...
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Mag...
http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/164/5/...

About the author

John Phillip is a Health Researcher and Author who writes regularly on the cutting edge use of diet, lifestyle modifications and targeted supplementation to enhance and improve the quality and length of life. John is the author of 'Your Healthy Weight Loss Plan', a comprehensive EBook explaining how to use Diet, Exercise, Mind and Targeted Supplementation to achieve your weight loss goal. Visit My Optimal Health Resource to continue reading the latest health news updates, and to download your Free 48 page copy of 'Your Healthy Weight Loss Plan'.