|
February 22, 2008 — Consumption of a diet rich in magnesium appears
to reduce the risk of symptomatic gallstone disease, according to
findings from a US study of over 42,000 men.
Dietary consumption
of magnesium has been declining over the years, lead author Dr.
Chung-Jyi Tsai and colleagues note, due in part to the overprocessing
of foods.
Magnesium deficiency is known to cause elevated
triglyceride levels and decreased HDL cholesterol levels, both of which
may raise the risk of gallstones. Still, the long-term effect of
magnesium consumption level on the risk of gallstones in humans was not
known.
To investigate, Dr. Tsai, from the University of Kentucky
Medical Center in Lexington, and colleagues analyzed data from 42,705
men, between 40 and 75 years of age, who were enrolled in the Health
Professionals Follow-up Study. The men were followed from 1986 to 2002.
The
subjects were surveyed every 2 years to assess the occurrence of new
illnesses, including gallbladder disease. Magnesium consumption was
determined with a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire sent to
the subjects every 4 years.
During 560,810 person-years of follow-up, 2195 men were diagnosed with symptomatic gallstone disease, the report shows.
Compared
with the lowest quintile of total magnesium intake (median 262 mg/day),
the highest quintile of intake (454 mg/day) reduced the risk of
gallstone disease by 33%. The same risk reduction was seen when
considering just dietary magnesium (excludes supplements).
After adjusting for potential confounding factors, the corresponding risk reductions fell slightly to 28% and 32%.
"From
many studies by this group and others, it appears that a generally
healthy dietary pattern, with more plant-based foods, fiber, and
increasing complex carbohydrates, and now increasing magnesium intake
will decrease the risk of symptomatic gallstones and cholecystectomy,"
Dr. Cynthia W. Ko, from the University of Washington in Seattle, writes
in an accompanying editorial. "This 'healthy' dietary pattern will also
help in prevention of other chronic diseases in addition to gallstones."
Am J Gastroenterol. 2008;103:375-382.
http://www.medscape.com
 |
News 
Subscribe to this comment's feed