Cardiovascular Health and Magnesium

Cardiovascular Health and Magnesium

Magnesium to the rescue! Individuals that have sought relief from blood pressure and other heart health complications, including atherosclerosis, have looked to the mineral magnesium for years Some known facts about heart heath and magnesium use are seen in serum (blood) level research. A recent study of 1276 Mexican-mestizo subjects (50 % women) aged 30-75, who are free of symptomatic cardiovascular disease, revealed interesting results for blood (or serum) levels of magnesium. Looking at the results of these studies, test subjects with the highest levels of magnesium showed other interesting results as well. In fact, the highest quartile (25%) of serum magnesium individuals had 48% lower odds of hypertension. Also, 69% of the group had lower odds of acquiring diabetes II and 42% had lower odds of coronary artery calcification, which is a possible link to coronary artery disease. Adjustments in this study were made for variables including smoking, age, diabetes etc. Serum levels were not indicative of magnesium being consumed from diet or supplementation.

Additionally, another study of supplemental magnesium with a dose of 350 milligrams indicated a reduction in arterial stiffness (ASI). The ASI test has recently been proposed as a powerful independent predicator of cardiovascular disease. ASI is determined with a device by the Vita Vision Company which calculates the oscillometry of the upper arm blood, indicating a correlation to arterial stiffness when increased. In this study overweight and obese individuals were assessed. The author of this study indicated that magnesium has a protective factor for cardiovascular disease. Although some tests suggest magnesium has benefits regarding cardiovascular disease, intervention trials have had mixed results with supplements and blood pressure. While studies with supplementation have been mixed, clarity with this study showed supplementation of 350mg each day reduced ASI consistently. This suggests that magnesium supplementation’s effects and mechanism of action might be more important regarding ASI than just looking for blood pressure results.

Grape Juice/ Brain Food – For the average person!

The consumption of Resveratrol and other polyphenols from dark grape juices and wine, have been shown to improve cognitive function, with mild case cognitive function impairment, while improving hypertension in individuals.

New information on Concord grape juice (CGC) consumption showed cognitive function improvement with a group of women (aged 40-50). All of these women had pre teen children and worked no less than 30 hours a week, and had high levels of stress in their lives. The consumption of CGC proved in a double blind study to improve spatial memory while driving, knowing where a car or object is, executive attention, and memory. This study might bring CGC consumption out of the aged category and into the everyday function of life. The daily consumption is recommended at 12oz.

By Starkie Sowers

References:

1. Nutr J. 2016 Mar 1;15:22. doi: 10.1186/s12937-016-0143-3. Serum magnesium is inversely associated with coronary artery calcification in the Genetics of Atherosclerotic Disease (GEA) study Posadas-Sánchez R1, Posadas-Romero C2, Cardoso-Saldaña G3, Vargas-Alarcón G4, Villarreal-Molina MT5, Pérez-Hernández N6, Rodríguez-Pérez JM7, Medina-Urrutia A8, Jorge-Galarza E9, Juárez-Rojas JG10, Torres-Tamayo M11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26931571

2. Peter J Joris, Jogchum Plat, Stephan JL Bakker, and Ronald P Mensink Long-term magnesium supplementation improves arterial stiffness in overweight and obese adults: results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention trial Am J Clin Nutr 2016 103: 5 1260-1266; First published online April 6, 2016. doi:10.3945/ajcn.116.131466. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/103/5/1260.abstr...

3. Coronary Artery Calcification: Pathophysiology, Epidemiology, Imaging Methods, and Clinical ImplicationsA Statement for Health Professionals From the American Heart Association Lewis Wexler, MD, Chair; Bruce Brundage, MD; John Crouse, MD; Robert Detrano, MD, PhD; Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD; Jamshid Maddahi, MD;John Rumberger, MD, PhD; William Stanford, MD; Richard White, MD, Members;Kathryn Taubert, PhD; AHA Staff. http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/94/5/1175.shor...

4. Eur J Intern Med. 2005 Dec;16(8):580-4. Arterial stiffness index as a screening test for cardiovascular risk: a comparative study between coronary artery calcification determined by electron beam tomography and arterial stiffness index determined by a VitalVision device in asymptomatic subjects.Altunkan S1, Oztas K, Seref B. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16314240

5. Eur J Intern Med. 2005 Dec;16(8):580-4. Arterial stiffness index as a screening test for cardiovascular risk: a comparative study between coronary artery calcification determined by electron beam tomography and arterial stiffness index determined by a VitalVision device in asymptomatic subjects. Altunkan S1, Oztas K, Seref B. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16314240

6. Daniel J Lamport, Clare L Lawton, Natasha Merat, Hamish Jamson, Kyriaki Myrissa, Denise Hofman, Helen K Chadwick, Frits Quadt, JoLynne D Wightman, And Louise DyeConcord grape juice, cognitive function, and driving performance: a 12-wk, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover trial in mothers of preteen children Am J Clin Nutr 2016 103: 775-783;First published online February 10, 2016.doi:10.3945/ajcn.115.114553. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/103/3/775.abstra...

7. Clinical Evaluation of Effects of Chronic Resveratrol Supplementation on CerebrovascularFunction, Cognition, Mood, Physical Function and General Well-Being in Postmenopausal Women-Rationale and Study Design. Evans HM, Howe PR, Wong RH. Nutrients. 2016 Mar 9;8(3). pii: E150. doi: 10.3390/nu8030150. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27005658