Scientists studied magnesium intake along with standard care of treatment in relation to cardiovascular disease and all-cause and coronary heart disease mortality for subjects who had a heart attack less than 10 years before. The study included 4,365 Dutch subjects ages 60 to 80. Magnesium intake was ascertained via a food frequency questionnaire.

Only 28 percent of the male and 33 percent of the female patients had adequate magnesium intake. Compared to those with the lowest intake, higher magnesium intake was associated with a 28 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.

For those who took a diuretic medication (drugs that help kidneys excrete urine) there was a 45 percent lower risk of mortality with higher amounts of magnesium.

Magnesium is essential for the heart, and lowers the risk for cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality from heart conditions. Studies have also shown inverse associations between magnesium and the risk of hypertension, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

I’ve been checking patients’ magnesium levels for three decades, and over that time levels have been consistently falling. Low magnesium predisposes a person to muscle cramps, aches and pains, and arrhythmias. Conversely, treating patients with magnesium helps all these conditions.

Foods high in magnesium include sunflowers, soybeans, cocoa beans, almonds, Brazil nuts, pine nuts, spearmint, basil, spinach, and flax seeds.

Magnesium is also safe as a supplement; diarrhea is the only adverse effect, which is easily managed by lowering the dose.