For each 100 mg/day increase in magnesium, the risk for total stroke was reduced by 2% and the risk for ischemic stroke was reduced by 2%. Conclusions: Increasing magnesium intake may be a crucial component of stroke prevention that acts in a dose-dependent manner.
The inverse association of magnesium intake and stroke is consistent with a meta-analysis of 7 prospective studies. They reported an 8% reduced stroke risk per 100 mg/d dietary magnesium increment.
Folic acid, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), and vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) may lower blood levels of homocysteine and reduce the risk of having another stroke or a heart attack.
Low serum magnesium levels could be associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke, in part, via effects on hypertension and diabetes. Magnesium is a natural calcium antagonist and modulates vasomotor tone, blood pressure, and peripheral blood flow.
Magnesium is involved in multiple physiological processes that may be relevant to cerebral ischaemia, including antagonism of glutamate release, NMDA receptor blockade, calcium channel antagonism, and maintenance of cerebral blood flow.
Can magnesium help clogged arteries? Research has drawn a direct link between atherosclerosis and magnesium levels. As discussed above, “Magnesium prevents calcium buildup in cholesterol plaque in arteries, which leads to clogged arteries.”
Regularly eating magnesium-rich foods also helped modestly reduce the chances of having any type of stroke. The study found that for every 100 additional milligrams of magnesium per day, people cut their risk of stroke by 8%.
Mg is essential in the metabolism of vitamin D, and taking large doses of vitamin D can induce severe depletion of Mg. Adequate magnesium supplementation should be considered as an important aspect of vitamin D therapy.
If you've had a heart attack or stroke or you have known heart disease, your health care provider may recommend that you take a daily aspirin to prevent heart attacks or strokes unless you have a serious allergy or history of bleeding.
Both TIAs and ischemic strokes can be potentially prevented by living a healthy lifestyle. Even if you are predisposed due to family history, age, or biological sex, living a healthy lifestyle can decrease your risk.
Preventing Stroke
Keep your blood pressure controlled through lifestyle changes and/or medications. Don't smoke or stop smoking. Take steps to manage your cholesterol. Limit your alcohol consumption.
Magnesium prevents muscle spasms of the heart blood vessels, which can lead to a high blood pressure and a heart attack. Magnesium prevents calcium buildup in cholesterol plaque in arteries, which leads to clogged arteries. Magnesium levels are inversely associated with cardiovascular disease risk.
Now, research out of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) shows that magnesium is also absolutely critical for the health of the brain. It can improve short-term and long-term memory and reduce the risk of age-related memory loss.
The benefits of magnesium supplementation in healthy individuals aren't clear, but Dr. Nassar says that taking a magnesium supplement every day likely isn't unsafe for most people. Just be sure you're not taking too much magnesium. The maximum dietary allowance for most adults is around 400 mg or less.
Refining or processing of food may deplete magnesium content by nearly 85%. Furthermore, cooking, especially boiling of magnesium-rich foods, will result in significant loss of magnesium. The processing and cooking of food may therefore explain the apparently high prevalence of low magnesium intake in many populations.
Magnesium begins to take effect after one week of consistent supplementation.
Magnesium supplements should be taken with meals. Taking magnesium supplements on an empty stomach may cause diarrhea.
A blood test will be ordered to check your magnesium level. Normal range is 1.3 to 2.1 mEq/L (0.65 to 1.05 mmol/L). Other blood and urine tests that may be done include: Calcium blood test.
A vitamin B12 deficiency can increase homocysteine levels, which are a well-established risk factor for ischemic stroke.
You can take steps to reduce plaques by losing weight, exercising more, or eating fewer foods high in saturated fat. In some cases, doctors may also prescribe medications to lower cholesterol.
Moreover, oral magnesium therapy has been shown to improve endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease. Magnesium, which is an inexpensive, natural and rather safe element, could be useful in preventing atherosclerosis and as an adjuvant therapy in patients with clinical manifestations of the disease.