Magnesium – The Anti-Inflammatory Mineral

A new study of 3,713 postmenopausal women shows that magnesium¹ is a powerful anti-inflammatory nutrient.  Each 100 mg of magnesium per day was associated with a significant reduction in various inflammatory markers.

Magnesium is the most lacking mineral in the human diet.  This is due primarily to Big Agribusiness farming practices that have stripped our soils of vital minerals needed for human health.  It is complicated by processed diets lacking in magnesium-containing fresh fruits and vegetables.  When you consider that inflammation is behind almost all health problems the consequence of eating a magnesium deficient diet becomes obvious. 

The study showed that inflammatory markers such as CRP C-reactive protein. It is an acute phase protein that increases during systemic inflammation. It is a general way to assess cardiovascular disease risk. A more sensitive test for heart disease risk is hs-CRP, highly sensitive CRP. ( C-reactive protein CRP C-reactive protein. It is an acute phase protein that increases during systemic inflammation. It is a general way to assess cardiovascular disease risk. A more sensitive test for heart disease risk is hs-CRP, highly sensitive CRP. . It is an acute phase protein that increases during systemic inflammation. It is a general way to assess cardiovascular disease risk. A more sensitive test for heart disease risk is hs- CRP C-reactive protein. It is an acute phase protein that increases during systemic inflammation. It is a general way to assess cardiovascular disease risk. A more sensitive test for heart disease risk is hs-CRP, highly sensitive CRP. , highly sensitive CRP C-reactive protein. It is an acute phase protein that increases during systemic inflammation. It is a general way to assess cardiovascular disease risk. A more sensitive test for heart disease risk is hs-CRP, highly sensitive CRP. . ), TNFa Cytokine involved with systemic inflammation and regulation of immune cells. It is able to induce cell death, and inhibits tumorigenesis and viral replication. When dysfunctional it is associated with a number of disease processes. (tumor necrosis factor alpha), and IL6 (interleukin 6 Type of inflammatory cytokine secreted by T cells and macrophage Type of white blood cell designed to "eat up" debris and pathogens. It also stimulates various cells to respond to pathogens. that act as both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory in response to trauma, burns, and other tissue damage that leads to inflammation.) were all reduced when magnesium intake was higher.  These are common inflammatory markers that are often elevated with the diseases of aging.

Furthermore, various inflammatory markers relating to the walls of arteries were also reduced when magnesium was adequate.  Inflammation on the lining of the arteries is required for plaque formation.  Reducing such inflammation is highly protective to arterial health.

It is not a stretch to say that if public health officials did nothing other than ensure vitamin D and magnesium sufficiency the entire health of a nation would be drastically improved and health care costs would be significantly lower.