Research appearing in the American Journal of Hypertension (published online August 12, 2010) examined the relationship between serum magnesium levels and carotid artery disease. The study involved 728 Japanese men and women with a mean age of 67. Low serum magnesium levels were strongly associated with increased carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and the presence of carotid plaques.
This association is biologically plausible, as magnesium plays an important role in vascular tone and is a required cofactor for acetylcholine-induced, endothelium-dependent vasodilation. Adequate magnesium status supports normal relaxation of blood vessels and healthy endothelial function.
Additional research published in Magnesium Research (February 2010) evaluated the effect of magnesium supplementation on endothelial health in elderly patients with diabetes. Sixty subjects were enrolled. Thirty patients, with a mean age of 71, received 368 mg of magnesium daily (administered as 4.5 g of magnesium pidolate), while the remaining 30 served as untreated controls. Endothelial function was assessed by flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery at baseline and again after 30 days. Magnesium supplementation resulted in a significant improvement in post-ischemic, endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilation compared to controls.
