Magnesium Supplements and Hypertension

Magnesium Supplements May Enhance the Effect of Antihypertensive Medications.

Dr. Andrea Rosanoff, Ph.D – Scientist and researcher, says “A comprehensive analytical review of 44 human studies in 43 publications of oral Magnesium (Mg) therapy for hypertension (HT) shows Magnesium supplements may enhance the blood-pressure (BP) lowering effect of anti-hypertensive medications (medications) in Stage 1 HT subjects.”

Los Angeles, CA, May 13, 2010 – In a recent article written on the subject of magnesium supplements and their effect on antihypertensive medications, Dr. Rosanoff reviewed 9 studies conducted on subjects treated with medications continuously = 6 months (with = 2-wk washout) resulted in significant decreases in both SBP and DBP with oral Mg supplements as low as 230 mg (10 mmol) per day.

Twice this oral Mg dose, i.e. 460 mg/day, was required to significantly lower both SBP and DBP in 18 of 22 studies conducted on Stage 1 HT subjects either treatment-naïve or with their medication use interrupted = 4 weeks within 6 months pre-study.

Of the 4 remaining studies showing no BP change at these high Magnesium doses, two had large placebo effect, a third one had significant baseline discrepancies between Mg-test and placebo groups, and the fourth showed a significant decrease in DBP but not SBP.

Thirteen studies on normotensive subjects, both treated and untreated with medications, showed no significant BP lowering effect with oral Mg therapy up to 25 mmol/day (607 mg).

Conclusions reached in this review resulted in the following statements: Magnesium supplements above RDA may be necessary to significantly lower high blood pressure in Stage I HT unless subjects have been continuously treated with anti-HT medications = 6 months. Such medication use may lower by half the oral Mg dose needed to significantly decrease high blood pressure.

Oral Mg therapy may have no effect in studies with normotensive subjects. Study of oral Magnesium therapy for severe or complicated hypertension has been neglected. Often the first cardiovascular risk factor to present, high blood pressure may be an early opportunity to correct poor Magnesium status and its possible complications including cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases, and type 2 diabetes. Such preventive potential encourages quantification of these findings and testing of these hypotheses with a meta-analysis using categories elucidated by this preliminary study and finally would warrant a call for a prospective study.

Dr. Andrea Rosanoff, Ph.D. Is a Magnesium Expert and Director of Research and Science Education Outreach for the Hawaii-based Center for Magnesium Education & Research, LLC. She is the c-author of “The Magnesium Factor”. www.centerformaged.org

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The ideas, procedures and suggestions contained in this press release are not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician. All matters regarding your physical health require medical supervision. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be liable or responsible for any loss, injury or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestion in this article. The opinions expressed in this article represent the personal views of the author and not the publisher.

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