NutritionFacts.org
Browsing: Home / Videos / Mineral of the Year—Magnesium

Health Topics

Browse through 1,580 different health topics
from A-Z!
  1. #
  2. A
  3. B
  4. C
  5. D
  6. E
  7. F
  8. G
  9. H
  10. I
  11. J
  12. K
  13. L
  14. M
  15. N
  16. O
  17. P
  18. Q
  19. R
  20. S
  21. T
  22. U
  23. V
  24. W
  25. X
  26. Y
  27. Z
Browse All Topics

Mineral of the Year—Magnesium

Despite promising autopsy and population data suggesting that inadequate magnesium intake is a risk factor for sudden cardiac death, it wasn’t until recently that this was demonstrated in prospective studies.

July 31, 2012 |
GD Star Rating
loading...
FavoriteLoadingAdd to My Playlist

Topics

Supplementary Info

Mineral of the Year—Magnesium, 4.8 out of 5 based on 5 ratings

Sources Cited

Chiuve SE, Korngold EC, Januzzi JL Jr, Gantzer ML, Albert CM. Plasma and dietary magnesium and risk of sudden cardiac death in women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Feb; 93(2):253-60.

Chacko SA, Sul J, Song Y, Li X, LeBlanc J, You Y, Butch A, Liu S. Magnesium supplementation, metabolic and inflammatory markers, and global genomic and proteomic profiling: a randomized, double-blind, controlled, crossover trial in overweight individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Feb; 93(2):463-73.

Peacock JM, Ohira T, Post W, Sotoodehnia N, Rosamond W, Folsom AR. Serum magnesium and risk of sudden cardiac death in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. Am Heart J. 2010 Sep; 160(3):464-70.

Farmer B, Larson BT, Fulgoni VL 3rd, Rainville AJ, Liepa GU. A vegetarian dietary pattern as a nutrient-dense approach to weight management: an analysis of the national health and nutrition examination survey 1999-2004. J Am Diet Assoc. 2011 Jun; 111(6):819-27.

Acknowledgements

Images thanks to David T Jones and USDA.gov.

Transcript

Despite the promising autopsy and ecologic—meaning, population—data I just covered supporting a specific association between low magnesium levels and sudden cardiac death, there’s only been two studing prospectively examining the association: this one, from the Harvard Nurse's Study, published in 2011, and this one from 2010 the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communitues study, covering a multiethnic population of thounsands of men and women. High blood levels of magnesium were associated “with an almost 40% reduced risk of sudden cardiac death” and “Women in the highest compared with the lowest quarter of dietary and blood magnesium had a 34% and 77% lower risk of sudden cardiac death, respectively.
 Another 2011 study, noting “Magnesium is an essential mineral in whole grains, leafy green vegetables, legumes—meaning beans, peas, lentils and soy, and nuts, as well as seeds, that acts as a cofactor in hundreds of enzymatic reactions in the human body. A considerable body of evidence indicates that a higher intake of dietary magnesium may favorably affect a cluster of metabolic and inflammatory disorders including many of our top killers like diabetes and heart disease.
So, did they put a whole bunch of people on whole grains, greens, beans, and nuts? No, they gave them a pill. A randomized, double-blind, controlled, crossover trial and indeed magnesium pills did improve somne biomarkers in the bodies of these overweight individuals studied, but come on. Even the Harvard Nurses study threw up their hands in defeat. Since“most Americans do not meet the RDA even taking pills, therefore, we need… more pills, and put it in the water supply or start fortifying foods. I mean there’s no way, apparently, that Americans are going to start eating spinach or something.
It’s true, though, that most Americans eat so poorly that they don’t even get the measly recommended daily intake. This is the daily value, 400. This is how much the average American gets. How much do you think the average American vegetarian gets? Recently publised in the Journal of the American Dietetics Association: “A Vegetarian Dietary Pattern as a Nutrient-Dense Approach to Weight Management. They measured vegetarian magnesium intake and… they’re not eating spinach either. Nonvegetarians ate an average of zero point one one cups of dark green vegetables a day; the vegetarians ate zero point one five cups. They did better, but still not enough greens, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Serena

To help out on the site please email volunteer@nutritionfacts.org

Dr. Michael Greger

Doctor's Note

Make sure you watch the "prequel" to this video, yesterday's NutritionFacts.org video-of-the-day How Do Nuts Prevent Sudden Cardiac Death?. Though those eating plant-based diets may average less than half the nutrient deficiencies than meateaters, as seen in Omnivore vs. Vegan Nutrient Deficiencies, that's not saying much given how pitiful the Standard American Diet is to start with. See, for example Nation’s Diet in Crisis and Calculate Your Healthy Eating Score. There are many more videos on greens, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds, as well as a thousand other topics—enjoy!

Check out my associated blog posts: Magnesium-Rich Foods to Prevent Sudden Death and Nuts Don’t Cause Expected Weight Gain.

  • Michael Greger M.D.

    Make sure you watch the “prequel” to this video, yesterday’s NutritionFacts.org video-of-the-day How Do Nuts Prevent Sudden Cardiac Death?. Though those eating plant-based diets may average less than half the nutrient deficiencies than meateaters, as seen in Omnivore vs. Vegan Nutrient Deficiencies, that’s not saying much given how pitiful the Standard American Diet is to start with. See, for example Nation’s Diet in Crisis and Calculate Your Healthy Eating Score. There are many more videos on greens, beans, grains, nuts (http://nutritionfacts.org/topics/nuts/), and seeds, as well as a thousand other topics—enjoy!

    • HemoDynamic, M.D.

      Magnificent Magnesium–This is the turning point (Torsade de Pointes).

      Low hypomag and hypokalemia can lead to prolonged QT and possibly TdP and ultimately death.

      Maybe the hospitals should give all patients dark green leafies, beans, nuts and seeds, and oatmeal when the are admitted, ultimately lowering their risk for dying?  At least in the hospital, wouldn’t you think?

      They don’t call it the ‘Crap’ateria for nothing!

      • SJ M.D.

        How many americans (and people of europe) would choose that hospital for their quadruple bypass? They would probably thoose another hospital serving burgers, fries, milkshake, coke (with suger of course), icecream and cheesecake (double cheese!) and recieve their magnesium-pill, statins, ace-inhibitor, clopidogrel, aspirin and then suing the surgeon because they need a stent within 12 months, contributing to the bankruptcy of the healthcaresystem – and just because they didn`t eat their beans and nuts – crazy world !

        • offtoshambala

          my parents fall into this category… they complain about how irresponsible people are & how the government (in the U.S) while people like them are footing the bill via the upper middle class tax burden, but they do little to take care of their personal health & are in a state of denial while they spend a fortune on pharmaceutical products while they snack on potato chips & chocolates & eat very little vegetables, but to their doctors credit, they’ve been told, they just ignore the advice & it’s easier for the doctors to just keep prescribing to people like them, what are they going to do if the patient does not want to take responsibility for their own health?

    • HemoDynamic, M.D.

      Love the pic of the kid gnawing on the chicken bone.  Just precious! ;-}

    • SJ M.D.

      Emphasis on dietary magnesium – in mind the case with beta-carotene (an indicator of high intake of vegetables) and the pill (without the other 100 carotenoids) and increased risk of lung-cancer (if smoking) and the current debate over calcium tablets and cardiovascular events. Food is a package.

  • Victoriavanfleet

    I wonder if the cardio-protective value of cocoa is largely due to its high MG…

  • Pat McNeill

    Congratulations to Dr. Greger for cracking another hard nut!

    My formula with data from the USDA database: ½ cup of oats
    for breakfast (138mg Mg) + 1 tbsp dry Cocoa Powder (unsweetened) at first break
    (141 mg Mg) + 40 Almonds (roasted not blanched) during the day (128 mg Mg) =
    407 mg Mg and success. All those leafy greens at lunch and beans at dinner
    boost it up to around 600 or 700 mg with only 1600 kcal consumed during the day.
    In my humble (unschooled) opinion, achieving this goal every day should be easy
    and tasty and cheap to do. 
    Super thanks to the Doc for making us aware of it! 

  • Billig

    For many vegetarians, being a vegetarian is not about a plant-based diet.  It’s about not harming animals.  French fries and a Coke fits the bill.  Still, I was shocked at the micro-portions of leafy greens reported in the study.

    • http://www.facebook.com/alex.soury.9 Alex Soury

      You’re right about vegetarians, and they are neglecting the most important animal; the human animal!

  • Ghazeltine

    Wow that is surprising. What are the vegetarians eating?

  • Tabitha

    My dr. recommended a magnesium supplement for me. I take Magnesium Glycinate 600 mg capsules – 2 a day. Is this enough? Like most Americans, I probably do not get enough in my diet.

    • Billig

      Tabitha,
      The best strategy is: eat food, whole food that is.  Include all the plant-based food groups (grains, fruit, vegetable, legumes, nuts and seeds).  Include portions from all those groups every day.  And over the course of a week, eat a variety of foods within each food group.  That will give you all the magnesium you need, plus most of everything else.  Isolated nutrients in supplements may be useful in certain therapeutic situations, but that’s not the way to live.  Eat food!

  • April Tchiguka

    You mentioned eating whole grains in the video. Was just wondering what you thought of the book Wheat Belly. Apparently, the wheat of today has been modified so much that it is causing many of our health problems and the USDA is telling us to eat more and more of it, thus creating a vicious cycle of health problems. It was an interesting book, but it’s so difficult to know what/who to believe anymore when it comes to the type of food we should be eating. Marion Nestle doesn’t even mention it, to my knowledge, in her books or blog.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000567304110 Robin Corbin

       ”whole grains” should be limited and should be “whole” grain.  Eat wheat berries, bulgur wheat, brown rice (not instant), amarynth…. These are whole grains.  You shouldn’t get your whole grains from pasta and bread!  Those are highly processed!

      • Paulc

         Don’t forget rolled or steel cut oats, millet, and barley. They’re all cheap and nutritious and easy to fix. For example, you can put steel cut (Irish) oats in a pan at night, bring to a boil, turn off the heat, cover with a tightly fitting lid and then let it sit until morning.They should be done by then and ready for a quick reheating or final quick cooking in the microwave. It’s great with raisins and cinnamon. Barley is great in vegetable soup along with a handful of lentils.Barley and millet are a welcome break from rice. The orioles, finches and  jays that visit my home also love millet, although unlike them, I seldom eat it raw..

        • April Tchiguka

          Paulc-Oats are high in sulfuric acid, higher than wheat and that is very bad for bone health, not to mention the overall health of an alkaline body. Plus, they cause blood sugar to skyrocket-no matter what kind or how they’re cooked.

          Robin-some of the grains you mentioned all share a genetic heritage with wheat and have some of the potential effects that wheat does on the body. And the rest still take a toll on your metabolic health because they are rich in carbs.

          There’s just so much to learn about the food we eat and how it will effect our bodies. It’s overwhelming at times. Just when I think I’ve cut out all the bad (ok, most of the bad stuff-I still have some vices) foods, I read something new. UGH!

          • R Ian Flett

            Most of this is false. The sulphuric acid is irrelevant if your other bone health items are adequate.
            There is a huge difference in GI response to rolled oats versus ‘instant’ oats and cooking method does matter.
            Recent studies from Scandinavia showed that rye was more beneficial than oats. Modern wheat has been bred to increase the size of the endosperm where the gluten resides, so even if you are not ‘gluten intolerant’ you still get too much from wheat products.
            To say that carbs take a toll on your metabolic health is nonsense as all vegies are carbs. If so, vegetarians would be the sickest group around. What matters is whether your carbs are complex (low GI) versus simple (hi GI) as in much processed food..

          • Paulc

             Hi April, thanks for the advice. I was aware of the acid-forming content of grains- probably due to sulfur-bearing amino acids and so, I’ve cut back to 3-4 servings a day- below the gov’t's recommended levels. Didn’t know about the H2SO4 content of grains, though. I reason that if it were high we’d have a burning sensation in our mouths when we eat them. Could it be that you’re actually referring to the sulfur-bearing amino acids? It would be hard to imagine life without grains. For thousands of years people have been getting the majority of their calories from grains. I recently read about the riots in Rome during Augustus’ reign when wheat from North Africa was cut off by Lepidus. Of course this is the gist of the debate between Plant-strong physicians Macdougall and Furhman: shall we go with what has worked for thousands of years or with what may potentially be the best diet? As I understand it, even Dr. Furhman doesn’t completely rule out grains. Also, I freely admit that I’ve fallen victim to the addictive exophins in grains. Seems that my “appetite” just isn’t easily satisfied unless I have some. Perhaps the real debate is between Dr. Macdougall’s addiction and Dr. Fuhrman having broken his. Perhaps I should also do the same and cut off grains completely in favor of vegetables, fruits, legumes, mushrooms, nuts, tea and spices. But then, legumes tend to also be acid-forming. Oy! Perhaps enough veggies will compensate.

  • Valnaples

    This topic is of great interest to me not due to heart problems but I was border-line osteopenic last year…so magnesium is very important for BONE health too! And I have been eating raw organic pumpkin seeds for a snack just about every other day (alternating with our dear and wonderful walnuts)…and I’ve switched to unsweetened almond milk instead of 1% dairy milk…also increasing my Vit D3 intake to 5,000 IU’s each day…AND increasing my weight bearing exercise though I’ve always been a walker..if it is alright to do so, I will attach a link to the highest magnesium foods:http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=75  Great video, Doc!

  • AlexanderBerenyi

    Important notes to make:
    In foods where most of the magnesium is found in water-soluble form, blanching,
    steaming, or boiling of these foods can result in a substantial loss of magnesium. For example, about one third of the magnesium in spinach is lost after blanching. Similarly, when beans are cooked, they can lose up to 65% of their magnesium. 

    Because magnesium can be attached to certain building blocks of protein (called amino acids), increased intake of protein can sometimes help improve the body’s magnesium status.

  • Vera Springate

    I’ve taken magnesium-calcium-zinc supplement for several years for no “serious” reason.  At the time I think I read “somewhere” that I need it because I wasn’t eating meat.  A few months ago I stopped taking it because again I read that all nutrients should come from food and started having major digestive issues including some serious bloating.  I have no health or weight issues and don’t eat junk.  Since magnesium is a laxative, could it be that I just got too accustomed to it?  I was taking the supplement at low dose.  I also noticed that I now lose a few more stands of hair, whereas before none came off.  Do I go back to the supplement? 

  • David

    Just a thought, but maybe someone could use sites like 
    http://www.petridish.org, or 
    http://www.medstartr.com/, to conduct a study on magnesium effect through eating actual greens. Would be great! :)

    Since no company think the will profite, maybe the crowd will.

  • Chrysanthemum

    This is very interesting to me because my ophthalmologist told me today that at least 50% of people with classic migraines (which he said are a vascular spasm) and ocular migraines (which he said is actually a type of seizure) have low magnesium levels, and that correcting it usually resolves them. 

    He also said the big problem was all those supplements available cheaply are very poorly absorbed, making them almost useless for correcting the problem. What he didn’t tell me was how I can get magnesium that IS absorbable, so I came here.But he said that a regular blood serum test will not accurately reflect magnesium levels. Instead a different, more targeted blood test was required. We did that test, because he’d rather know for sure before he starts trying to find me a source of magnesium that is better than useless.

    So what I am seeing from comments here is that dark leafy vegetables are a good source, as well as nuts? I love raw spinach, eat it all the time, and I eat chick peas nearly every day. What else should I add?

  • Judith McConnell

    You are so smart! I love your info and have spread the news! Now the guy at the gym, my brother and his wife are favoring your advice. Thanks so much!
    Judith McConnell

©2012 NutritionFacts.org - All Rights Reserved | In partnership with the Jesse & Julie Rasch Foundation
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Contact Us