A study published in the American Heart Journal (2010;160(3):464–470) examined the relationship between magnesium status and sudden cardiac death in 14,232 adults between the ages of 45 and 64. Researchers followed participants for an average of 12 years, during which 264 cases of sudden cardiac death occurred.
The investigators found a clear inverse association between serum magnesium levels and the risk of sudden cardiac death. Individuals with magnesium levels in the highest quartile had a 38% lower risk of sudden cardiac death compared to those in the lowest quartile.
While this study relied on serum magnesium—which does not always reflect intracellular magnesium status—it supports a growing body of evidence suggesting that inadequate magnesium may increase vulnerability to fatal cardiac rhythm disturbances.
