Magnesium-Rich Diet Cuts Colorectal Cancer Risk

SUZHOU, ChinaIndividuals who consume a diet high in magnesium-rich foods, such as green leafy vegetables, beans and seeds, may reduce their risk of colorectal cancer by as much as 11% compared to those with low dietary magnesium intake, according to a new study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Researchers at Soochow University conducted a meta-analysis to determine whether higher dietary magnesium intake is associated with reduced colorectal cancer risk. Using the PubMed database through July 2012, they identified eight prospective studies of magnesium intake in relation to CRC risk. The studies contained information from 338,979 participants; data was available for 8,000 cases of colorectal cancer.

They found individuals who had the highest average dietary intakes of magnesium had a 11% reduction in colorectal cancer risk, compared to those with the lowest average intakes. Restricting the analysis to six studies that have adjusted for calcium intake, results showed the risks of colon and rectal cancer were 19% and 6% lower, respectively, for the highest average magnesium intakes. Results indicated that for every 50 mg per day increase in intake of the mineral, the risk of colon cancer was reduced by 7%.

A similar study published this year in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found consuming a diet high in magnesium-rich foods reduced the risk of ischemic stroke by 8%.