Old Flame Time for a quick CRP review. Your heart will thank you for it. CRP is an acronym for C-reactive protein, a plasma protein produced in the liver in response to inflammation. And because atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries) goes hand-in-hand with inflammation, elevated CRP is considered an important warning sign that cardiovascular problems may be in the works. Researchers have associated weight loss, exercise, and an intake of vitamin C and omega-3 fatty acids with a reduced risk of inflammation and, consequently, reduced levels of CRP. A new study from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) reveals that supplements of another key nutrient may also help reduce inflammation and CRP. As the MUSC team notes in the May 2006 issue of Nutrition Research, dietary magnesium is believed to reduce inflammation, but so far the role of magnesium supplements in inflammation reduction has not been clarified. STUDY ABSTRACT - Researchers collected data on more than 10,000 adults who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2002
- Data on CRP levels and magnesium intake (either through diet, supplements or both) was examined
- Analysis showed that about 25 percent of the subjects took a magnesium supplement of at least 50 mg per day
- Among subjects who didn't take supplements, only 22 percent either met or exceeded the recommended daily allowance for magnesium intake (RDA for magnesium is 350 mg)
- About 60 percent of subjects who took supplements met or exceeded RDA for magnesium
- Subjects whose daily magnesium intake was below the RDA were significantly more likely to have elevated CRP levels
The researchers concluded: "Magnesium supplement intake is associated with a lower likelihood of elevated CRP in people with low dietary magnesium intake." A NutraIngredient-USA article about the study notes that the relationship between magnesium and CRP appears "modest," and we won't be able to say that magnesium supplements reduce CRP levels until intervention trials provide more concrete proof. Until then, you can rest assured that magnesium intake is essential to good health. As I've noted in other e-Alerts, magnesium has been shown to help heart muscles relax, reduce blood pressure, reduce frequency and severity of migraine headaches, and increase bone density in postmenopausal women. And magnesium deficiency has been associated with reduced cognitive function, depression and anxiety. Magnesium is naturally present in green leafy vegetables, avocados, nuts and seeds, and whole grains, but usually only in small amounts, so it's difficult to achieve the RDA without taking supplements. In the e-Alert "Mind Over Matter" (5/27/05), HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., offered these guidelines on magnesium supplementation: "I've always recommended 500 mg/day, since absorption of most forms isn't that great. "My limit for oral magnesium is that which causes any loosening of the stools, and there's always a distinct dose that will do it. I'm careful to warn people not to go over that limit for the simple reason that food is moved through the GI tract too quickly with too much magnesium, and that cuts down on absorption of nutrients (both from foods and supplements). However, that amount is usually between 400 and 1500 mg/day. "Now, bear in mind that that's ELEMENTAL magnesium. In a supplement, such as magnesium oxide, the tablet that is sold as a 400 mg tablet only has 241.3 mg of elemental magnesium. So, when you take a '400 mg' tablet, you aren't getting 400 mg of magnesium anyway. Plus, even the label says you can take 2/day, or 800 mg." Be sure to talk to your doctor before beginning a daily regimen of magnesium supplements. Sources:
"Magnesium Supplement Intake and C-Reactive Protein Levels in Adults" Nutrition Research, Vol. 26, No. 5, May 2006, sciencedirect.com
"Magnesium Supplements Could Reduce Inflammation" NutraIngredients-USA, 7/27/06, nutraingredients-usa.com
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