title: Magnesium intake is inversely associated with coronary artery calcification: the Framingham Heart Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to examine whether magnesium intake is associated with coronary artery calcification (CAC) and abdominal aortic calcification (AAC).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Animal and cell studies suggest that magnesium may prevent calcification within atherosclerotic plaques underlying cardiovascular disease. Little is known about the association of magnesium intake and atherosclerotic calcification in humans.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined cross-sectional associations of self-reported total (dietary and supplemental) magnesium intake estimated by food frequency questionnaire with CAC and AAC in participants of the Framingham Heart Study who were free of cardiovascular disease and underwent Multi-Detector Computed Tomography (MDCT) of the heart and abdomen (n = 2,695; age: 53 ± 11 years), using multivariate-adjusted Tobit regression. CAC and AAC were quantified using modified Agatston scores (AS). Models were adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, systolic blood pressure, fasting insulin, total-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio, use of hormone replacement therapy (women only), menopausal status (women only), treatment for hyperlipidemia, hypertension, cardiovascular disease prevention, or diabetes, as well as self-reported intake of calcium, vitamins D and K, saturated fat, fiber, alcohol, and energy. Secondary analyses included logistic regressions of CAC and AAC outcomes as cut-points (AS >0 and AS ≥90th percentile for age and sex), as well as sex-stratified analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In fully adjusted models, a 50-mg/day increment in self-reported total magnesium intake was associated with 22% lower CAC (p < 0.001) and 12% lower AAC (p = 0.07). Consistent with these observations, the odds of having any CAC were 58% lower (p trend: <0.001) and any AAC were 34% lower (p trend: 0.01), in those with the highest compared to those with the lowest magnesium intake. Stronger inverse associations were observed in women than in men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In community-dwelling participants free of cardiovascular disease, self-reported magnesium intake was inversely associated with arterial calcification, which may play a contributing role in magnesium's protective associations in stroke and fatal coronary heart disease.
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Epidemiology Program, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Adela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hruby
authors.affiliation: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Division of Intramural Research, and NHLBI's Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, Massachusetts; Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: O'Donnell
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Epidemiology Program, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Paul F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Jacques
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; General Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: James B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Meigs
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Massachusetts General Hospital Cardiac MR PET CT Program and the Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Udo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Epidemiology Program, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address: nicola.mckeown@tufts.edu.
authors.forename: Nicola M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: McKeown
mesh_terms: D002114:Calcinosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000178:diet therapy*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000178:diet therapy*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D008274:Magnesium
keywords: AAC; AS; Agatston score; CAC; CKD; CT; ESRD; Framingham Heart Study; Framingham Heart Study Multi-Detector Computed Tomography Sub-study; GFR; IMT; MDCT; PWV; abdominal aortic calcification; chronic kidney disease; computed tomography; coronary artery calcification; diet; end-stage renal disease; glomerular filtration rate; intima-medial thickness; magnesium; pulse-wave velocity