Lee Swanson Research Update

Study Suggests Magnesium Plays a Role in Prevention of Gallstones

March 2008

Increased intake of supplemental magnesium may decrease a man’s risk of developing gallstones, according to a new study.

Researchers recruited 42,705 men for the study and found a 28% reduction in the risk of gallstones in men who had the highest intake of magnesium.

"In this large cohort study, we observed that a higher consumption of magnesium was associated with a reduced risk of gallstone disease with a dose-response relationship that was not accounted for by other potential risk factors including other measured dietary variables," wrote lead author Chung-Jyi Tsai from the University of Kentucky Medical Center.

Tsai, in collaboration with researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health and the National Cancer Institute, assessed the consumption of magnesium among the study population (average age 52.6) using a validated semi-quantitative 131-item food frequency questionnaire.

Over the course of an average of 13 years of follow-up, the researchers documented 2,195 cases of gallstones. The average intake of magnesium was calculated to 352.8 mg per day for the study population.

After adjusting the results to account for age differences, which may affect the results, Tsai and coworkers calculated that men with the highest levels of magnesium intake (454 mg/day) were 28% less likely to develop gallstones, compared to men with the lowest average intake (262 mg/day).

"In conclusion, our findings suggest a protective role of magnesium consumption in the prevention of symptomatic gallstone disease among men," wrote Tsai and coworkers.

American Journal of Gastroenterology 103(2):383-385, 2008

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