How Magnesium Affects Major Bodily Functions

Magnesium is the fourth most important mineral for the human body. It participates in energy production processes, maintains the genetic code, and is vital for the cardiovascular system and heart's health. Magnesium deficiency leads to various health issues.

Less magnesium in water, more heart disease — Epidemiological studies conducted in various countries showed that magnesium content in drinking water is inversely related to morbidity and mortality from heart diseases. These findings have been described in the USA, UK, France, Germany, South Africa, the Netherlands, and more. One study was a statistical analysis that examined the number of deaths from heart diseases per 1,000 residents in different regions. The study compared numerous and diverse populations, correlating heart disease mortality rates (per 1,000 residents) with magnesium concentration in drinking water. Published in 1999, the study determined an inverse relationship between magnesium levels in serum and mortality from general heart diseases and mortality from any cause. According to the study's results, magnesium deficiency caused about a 20% rise in morbidity and mortality from heart diseases. The research made significant waves, and today, in many cardiology departments, adding magnesium is a routine treatment protocol for patients.

Magnesium and blood pressure — An observational study in 1995 examined the impact of different dietary factors on the prevalence of high blood pressure among over 30,000 healthcare workers in the USA. After four years of follow-up, it was found that the risk of hypertension was linked to dietary patterns that provided more magnesium. The study explains how magnesium deficiency is associated with increased blood pressure. The mechanism of increased blood pressure is related to the ratio of calcium ions to magnesium ions. In a state of magnesium deficiency, the excess presence of calcium ions leads to excessive contraction of the heart and blood vessels, contributing to increased blood pressure.

Magnesium and angina — Patients suffering from chest angina feel chest pain during strenuous activity such as brisk walking or climbing stairs. The angina results from oxygen supply impairments to the heart muscle, affecting cardiac output. A study conducted in Japan in 1988 examined the administration of magnesium to such patients during a stress test. The study concluded that magnesium intake by patients with chest angina and Variant Angina improves chest angina and the ischemic areas observed in these syndrome patients during stress heart mapping. The impact is noticeable in extreme situations, illustrating the efficacy of magnesium administration in improving cardiac output and maintaining quality of life.

Magnesium administration in heart muscle infarction — In 1993, a major and first study on magnesium treatment during acute heart muscle infarction was published. This study found that magnesium reduced in-hospital mortality by 19% and heart failure development by 25%. In long-term follow-up of 4-5 years, a 20% decrease in mortality from heart disease was demonstrated in patients treated with magnesium compared to those treated with a placebo.

Magnesium and blood vessels — In 2000, a study published in the medical journal Circulation, conducted by Schechter and colleagues at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center UCLA (University of Los Angeles), involved 50 youth who had a heart muscle infarction. The study found that in patients post-heart muscle infarction or bypass surgery, the cellular magnesium level was inversely related to endothelial function. Additionally, providing magnesium tablets for six months significantly improved endothelial function along with the patients' ability to perform stress tests, and was associated with less chest angina and exertional arrhythmias compared to placebo.

The endothelium is a crucial organ for maintaining proper function of blood vessels. Its primary function is to regulate blood vessel tone by balancing between vasodilatory and vasoconstricted mediators. Additionally, the endothelium controls blood flow quality and clotting potential in blood vessels through factors affecting platelet function, coagulation processes, and the fibrinolytic system. There is a connection between endothelial dysfunction and the development of atherosclerotic disease and blood vessels. Endothelial dysfunction is also related to the development of hypertension and heart failure.

The link between magnesium and cholesterol — A study examining the effects of magnesium on blood lipids was conducted by Rasmussen and colleagues in 1989 at a central medical center in Finland. The study found that administering magnesium to subjects for three months reduces the concentration of bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides by 27%, and increases the concentration of good cholesterol (HDL). Similar results were obtained in a study conducted in Israel and recently published.

Magnesium deficiency leads to skeletal muscle weakness, which results in reduced physical fitness. Magnesium deficiency limits energy production, leading to weakness, fatigue, reduced energy consumption, muscle spasms, or muscle cramps. Magnesium deficiency in athletic activity can be fatal. During significant or prolonged physical effort, there can be a notable increase in glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides levels in the blood, which can lead to heart disease. Without maintaining adequate magnesium levels, there is a tendency for blood vessel contraction, which can increase the prevalence of heart diseases and even cause sudden death due to coronary artery spasm or heat exposure. Intracellular magnesium deficiency creates an imbalance that may cause serious intracellular changes and damage to body cells.