Lower blood levels of magnesium in middle-aged men associated with increased risk of fractures: study

Researchers at the Universities of Bristol and Eastern Finland have found that middle-aged men with lower blood levels of magnesium had an increased risk of fractures particularly fractures of the hip.

The researchers followed 2,245 middle-aged men over a 20-year period for the study. 

The risk of fracture fell 44 per cent in men with higher blood levels of magnesium. None of the 22 men who had very high magnesium levels (> 2.3 mg/dl) in the study population reported a fracture over the follow-up period.

The same study revealed that dietary magnesium intake was not found to be linked with fractures, a finding that had been consistently demonstrated in several previous studies.

Dr Setor Kunutsor, research fellow from the University of Bristol's Musculoskeletal Research Unit and lead researcher, said, "The findings do suggest that avoiding low serum concentrations of magnesium may be a promising though unproven strategy for risk prevention of fractures."

Although blood levels of magnesium depended on magnesium intake from food and water, this might not be the case for elderly, people with certain bowel disorders, and those on certain medications.

For such people, increasing the intake of foods rich in magnesium might not necessarily increase blood magnesium levels. Treatment of the underlying conditions and magnesium supplementation might be another way of avoiding low blood levels of magnesium.

Magnesium is present in abundant quantity in dark, leafy vegetables such as spinach or chard, nuts, whole grains and oily fish.

Magnesium had also been linked to lowering the risk of heart disease, strokes and diabetes and was seen to be one of the reasons why a Mediterranean-style diet was so healthy.

According to commentators, the findings could lead to magnesium screening for elderly people and supplements being prescribed for those deficient levels of the mineral in blood.