Magnesium intake, C-reactive protein, and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in middle-aged and older U.S. women.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine whether and to what extent magnesium intake is related to systemic inflammation and the metabolic syndrome.


METHODS
We performed a cross-sectional analysis on data from 11,686 women > or =45 years of age participating in the Women's Health Study who were initially free of cardiovascular disease and cancer and had no use of postmenopausal hormones.


RESULTS
In age- and BMI-adjusted analyses, magnesium intake was inversely associated with plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations; CRP concentrations were 12% lower in the highest intake quintile than in the lowest (P for trend <0.0001). This association was not appreciably altered by further adjustment for other potential confounding variables including dietary factors; the mean CRP concentrations for ascending quintiles of magnesium intake were 1.50, 1.39, 1.35, 1.34, and 1.31 mg/l (P for trend = 0.0003). This inverse association was stronger for women with a BMI > or =25 kg/m(2) (P < 0.0001 for interaction) and those who were current or past smokers (P = 0.0009 for interaction). After adjustment for confounding lifestyle and dietary factors, women in the highest quintile of magnesium intake had 27% lower risk of the metabolic syndrome (defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program criteria) compared with those in the lowest quintile of intake (odds ratio 0.73 [95% CI 0.60-0.88], P for trend = 0.0008).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that magnesium intake is inversely associated with systemic inflammation and the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in middle-aged and older women.
Song
Yiqing
Y
Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 900 Commonwealth Avenue East, Boston, MA 02215, USA. ysong@hsph.harvard.edu
Ridker
Paul M
PM
Manson
JoAnn E
JE
Cook
Nancy R
NR
Buring
Julie E
JE
Liu
Simin
S
D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D002149:Energy Intake; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008274:Magnesium; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D008274:Magnesium