Long-term effect of magnesium consumption on the risk of symptomatic gallstone disease among men.
BACKGROUND
Magnesium deficiency can cause dyslipidemia and insulin hypersecretion, which may facilitate gallstone formation. However, the effect of long-term consumption of magnesium on the risk of gallstone disease is unknown.


METHODS
We prospectively studied magnesium consumption and risk of gallstone disease in a cohort of 42,705 U.S. men from 1986 to 2002. Magnesium consumption was assessed using a validated semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Newly diagnosed gallstone disease was ascertained biennially.


RESULTS
We documented 2,195 incident cases of symptomatic gallstones during 560,810 person-years of follow-up. The age-adjusted relative risks (RRs) for men with total magnesium intake and dietary magnesium, when the highest and lowest quintiles were compared, were 0.67 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.59-0.77, P for trend <0.0001) and 0.67 (CI 0.59-0.76, P for trend <0.0001), respectively. After adjusting for multiple potential confounding variables, when extreme quintiles were compared, the multivariate RR of total magnesium intake (RR 0.72, CI 0.61-0.86, P for trend = 0.006) and dietary magnesium (RR 0.68, CI 0.57-0.82, P for trend = 0.0006) remained significant with a dose-response relationship.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest a protective role of magnesium consumption in the prevention of symptomatic gallstone disease among men.
Tsai
Chung-Jyi
CJ
Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, KY 40536-0298, USA.
Leitzmann
Michael F
MF
Willett
Walter C
WC
Giovannucci
Edward L
EL
D042882:Gallstones / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
D008274:Magnesium