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ARS Home » Plains Area » Grand Forks, North Dakota » Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center » Healthy Body Weight Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #250600

Title: Magnesium, Inflammation, and Obesity in Chronic Disease

Author
item Nielsen, Forrest - Frosty

Submitted to: Nutrition Reviews
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/24/2010
Publication Date: 6/1/2010
Citation: Nielsen, F.H. 2010. Magnesium, Inflammation, and Obesity in Chronic Disease. Nutrition Reviews. 68(6):333-340. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00293.x

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: About 60% of U.S. adults do not consume the Estimated Average Intake for magnesium, but widespread pathological conditions attributed to magnesium deficiency have not been reported. However, low magnesium status has been associated with numerous pathological conditions characterized as having a chronic inflammatory stress component. In humans, deficient magnesium intakes are mostly marginal to moderate (~50% to <100% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance). Animal experiments indicate that signs of marginal to moderate magnesium deficiency can be compensated or exacerbated by other factors influencing inflammatory and oxidative stress; recent studies suggest a similar happening in humans. This suggestion may have significance in obesity, which is characterized as having chronic low-grade inflammation component and an increased incidence of a low magnesium status. Marginal to moderate magnesium deficiency through exacerbating chronic inflammatory stress may be significantly contributing to the occurrence of chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus, and cancer.