Relationship of dietary magnesium intake and serum magnesium with hypertension: a review.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to comprehensively review the relationship between magnesium (not calcium) and hypertension by analyzing dietary intake, serum levels, and supplementation effects.
Results Summary
The study found an inverse relationship between dietary/serum magnesium and hypertension risk, with magnesium acting as a natural calcium channel blocker, improving endothelial function, and inducing vasodilation. Magnesium intake was generally below recommended levels, suggesting supplementation might be beneficial.
Population
Not specified (general population inferred from literature review).
Effective Dosage
Not specified.
Duration
Not specified.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
dietary magnesium intake | decrease | risk of hypertension | - | - | inverse dose-dependent relationship | #1 |
serum magnesium | decrease | risk of hypertension | - | - | inverse dose-dependent relationship | #2 |
serum magnesium concentration | decrease | Framingham risk score | - | - | negative correlation | #3 |
serum magnesium concentration | decrease | intima-media carotid thickness | - | - | negative correlation | #4 |
serum magnesium concentration | decrease | cardiovascular mortality | - | - | negative correlation | #5 |
extracellular magnesium | neutral | - | - | - | acts as a natural calcium channel blocker | #6 |
extracellular magnesium | decrease | endothelial dysfunction | - | - | eliminates | #7 |
extracellular magnesium | increase | nitric oxide | - | - | increases | #8 |
extracellular magnesium | increase | direct and indirect vasodilatation | - | - | induces | #9 |
magnesium supplementation | neutral | prevention and treatment of hypertension | - | - | might be justified | #10 |
The relationship between magnesium and hypertension has been intensively investigated in the last few decades. Most of the so far reviews were focused on either dietary magnesium or serum magnesium or magnesium supplements. Our goal was to merge these findings with a more comprehensive approach. Internet search was performed in PubMed database without date limits, using the following search terms "dietary magnesium," "serum magnesium," "magnesium supplements," "hypertension," "drinking water," "food," "endothelial dysfunction," "arterial smooth muscle," and "arterial spasms." In general, there exists an inverse dose-dependent relationship between dietary magnesium intake and serum magnesium and the risk of hypertension. A negative correlation has been found between the serum magnesium concentration and Framingham risk score and intima-media carotid thickness and cardiovascular mortality. On the other hand, concentration of extracellular magnesium in the normal range acts as a natural calcium channel blocker, eliminates endothelial dysfunction, increases nitric oxide, and induces direct and indirect vasodilatation. In conclusion, an average magnesium dietary intake is below the recommended values and magnesium supplementation in the prevention and treatment of hypertension might be justified.