Magnesium May Lower Metabolic Syndrome

Abundant in green leafy vegetables, legumes, and tofu, magnesium is involved in hundreds of enzyme reactions in the human body.  DT Dibaba, from Indiana University (Indiana, USA), and colleagues reviewed six published studies involving a total of 24,473 participants and 6,311 cases of Metabolic Syndrome.  The average magnesium intakes ranged from 117 to 423 mg per day.  Data analysis revealed that those subjects with the highest average dietary intakes of magnesium were at 31% lower risk of developing Metabolic Syndrome, as compared to those with the lowest intakes.  Further, every 100 mg per day increase in magnesium intake reduced the overall risk of having Metabolic Syndrome by 17%.  The study authors report that:  “Findings from the present meta-analysis suggest that dietary magnesium intake is inversely associated with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome.”