Dietary magnesium intake
Dietary magnesium intake has been studied in 45 papers since 2003: 2 trials and 38 observational studies in people, 1 in animals, 3 reviews; 5 in the past year. The newest paper, Aug 3, 2026: “Associations of magnesium intake and a magnesium-rich diet score with sarcopenia in middle-aged and older Korean adults: potential mediation by C-reactive protein”.
45 papers study it61 findingsUpdated
See all 45 papers on dietary magnesium intake
At a glance
Independent labs found the same change in people. 31 independent labs in 12 countries.
“dietary Mg intake was inversely correlated with gut disorder risk”
9 of its findings point the other way.
- 31 independent labs in 12 countries
- 9 findings against
- Funders: National Natural Science Foundation of China and others
- Human trial2
- Humans38
- Animals1
What did studies of dietary magnesium intake find?
14Studies of dietary magnesium intake measured 14 outcomes, among them diabetes mellitus, skeletal muscle index and mortality.
Diabetes mellitus
no changein humans2
2 studies
Diabetes mellitus
no changein humans2
Dietary magnesium intake was not clearly linked with diabetes mellitus in humans.
“Dietary Mg intake was not significantly correlated with diabetes (P > 0.05).”
Humansdietary intaken = 2,904
Journal of health, population, and nutrition
Dietary magnesium intake was not clearly linked with diabetes mellitus in humans (men, adjusted for covariates).
“In men, there was no association between magnesium intake and the risk of diabetes.”
Humansmen, adjusted for covariates10 yearsmales
European journal of nutrition
Skeletal muscle index
upin humans1
1 study
Skeletal muscle index
upin humans1
Dietary magnesium intake is linked with higher skeletal muscle index in humans (fully adjusted model) (beta 0.05 (95% CI 0.04-0.07)).
“increased levels of SMI, with β values of 0.05 (95% CI: 0.04, 0.07)”
Humansfully adjusted modelskeletal musclen = 5,793
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
Mortality
no changein humans1HR 0.97
1 study
Mortality
no changein humans1HR 0.97
Dietary magnesium intake was not clearly linked with mortality in humans (Participants without type 2 diabetes) (HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.88–1.07).
“whereas no significant association was observed in participants without type 2 diabetes”
HumansParticipants without type 2 diabetesEqual to or greater than the recommended daily intakeMedian follow-up of 12.1 years
Diabetes & metabolism
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease mortality
no changein humans1HR 1.25
1 study
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease mortality
no changein humans1HR 1.25
Dietary magnesium intake was not clearly linked with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease mortality in humans (Participants without type 2 diabetes) (HR 1.25, 95% CI 0.93–1.66).
“whereas no significant association was observed in participants without type 2 diabetes”
HumansParticipants without type 2 diabetesEqual to or greater than the recommended daily intakeMedian follow-up of 12.1 years
Diabetes & metabolism
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease incidence
no changein humans1HR 1.01
1 study
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease incidence
no changein humans1HR 1.01
Dietary magnesium intake was not clearly linked with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease incidence in humans (Participants without type 2 diabetes) (HR 1.01, 95% CI 0.94–1.09).
“no significant association was observed in participants without type 2 diabetes (1.01 [0.94;1.09] for ASCVD incidence;”
HumansParticipants without type 2 diabetesEqual to or greater than the recommended daily intakeMedian follow-up of 12.0 years
Diabetes & metabolism
Decreased HDL-C
downin humans1
1 study
Decreased HDL-C
downin humans1
Dietary magnesium intake is linked with lower decreased HDL-C in humans (third quintile of intake) (reduced by 23% in third quintile; slightly increased in highest quintile).
“The risk of decreased HDL-C was reduced by 23% in the third quintile of dietary magnesium intake, with a slightly increased risk in the highest group.”
Humansthird quintile of intake
Relationship between Dietary Magnesium Intake and Metabolic Syndrome
Nutrients
Central obesity
downin humans1
1 study
Central obesity
downin humans1
Dietary magnesium intake is linked with lower central obesity in humans (reduced by 18%).
“Central obesity, elevated TG, elevated blood pressure and elevated blood glucose were reduced by 18%, 41%, 20% and 42%, respectively.”
Humans
Relationship between Dietary Magnesium Intake and Metabolic Syndrome
Nutrients
Knee osteoarthritis
no changein humans1HR 1.28
1 study
Knee osteoarthritis
no changein humans1HR 1.28
Dietary magnesium intake was not clearly linked with knee osteoarthritis in humans across dietary intake tertiles (adjusted HR 1.28 (0.78-2.10) and 1.38 (0.73-2.62) across tertiles; p for trend 0.31).
“The results do not support the hypothesis that low dietary Mg intake contributes to the development of clinical knee OA”
Humansacross dietary intake tertiles10 years
PloS one
Stroke
no changein humans1
1 study
Stroke
no changein humans1
Dietary magnesium intake was not clearly linked with stroke in humans (men and women).
“We observed no decreased risks of incident stroke in men or women with higher dietary magnesium intakes.”
Humansmen and women
Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Serum magnesium
no changein humans1
1 study
Serum magnesium
no changein humans1
Dietary magnesium intake was not clearly linked with serum magnesium in people with diabetes.
“Dietary Mg intake and serum Mg were not significantly correlated in the diabetes population (P = 0.936).”
Humansin people with diabetesdietary intake
Journal of health, population, and nutrition
All 14Fewer
What is dietary magnesium intake linked with?
32Studies link dietary magnesium intake with 32 measures, most often coronary artery disease (5 studies), mortality (4) and metabolic syndrome (3).
Coronary artery disease
downin humans5HR 0.66
5 studies
Coronary artery disease
downin humans5HR 0.66
Dietary magnesium intake is associated with coronary artery disease in humans (type 2 diabetes; highest vs lowest sex-specific quartile) (PR 0.40 (0.20, 0.79), highest vs lowest quartile).
“Adjusted CHD prevalence ratios for the highest compared to the lowest quartiles were 0.40 (0.20, 0.79) for magnesium intake”
Humanstype 2 diabetes; highest vs lowest sex-specific quartilen = 450
Nutrients
Dietary magnesium intake is linked with a lower risk of coronary artery disease in humans (men; fifth vs lowest quintile of intake) (HR 0.66 (0.44-0.97) for fifth vs lowest quintile).
“Higher dietary magnesium intake was associated with a reduced risk of CHD in Japanese men.”
Humansmen; fifth vs lowest quintile of intakemales
Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Dietary magnesium intake is linked with a lower risk of coronary artery disease in humans.
“Lower dietary magnesium intake was found to be positively associated with risk of coronary heart disease (0.027).”
Humansn = 290
Dietary magnesium intake and coronary heart disease risk: a study from Serbia
Medicinski glasnik : official publication of the Medical Association of Zenica-Doboj Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Dietary magnesium intake is associated with coronary artery disease in humans (Dietary intake assessed at baseline) (Age-adjusted incidence: 7.3 versus 4.0 per 1,000 person-years in lowest versus highest quintiles; fully adjusted excess risk in lowest quintile: 1.5- to 1.8-fold).
“Within 15 years after dietary assessment, the age-adjusted incidence decreased significantly from 7.3 to 4.0 per 1,000 person-years”
HumansDietary intake assessed at baselineLowest quintile: 50.3 to 186 mg/day; highest quintile: 340 to 1,183 mg/day15 yearsmalesn = 7,172
Dietary magnesium intake and the future risk of coronary heart disease (the Honolulu Heart Program)
The American journal of cardiology
Dietary magnesium intake lowers the risk of coronary artery disease in humans (modest relationship in male subjects) (modest).
“There was a modest relationship between dietary magnesium intake and a reduced risk of CHD in male subjects”
Reviewmodest relationship in male subjectsmales
Oral magnesium supplementation in adults with coronary heart disease or coronary heart disease risk
Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
Mortality
downin humans4HR 0.58–0.71
4 studies
Mortality
downin humans4HR 0.58–0.71
Dietary magnesium intake is linked with a lower risk of mortality in humans (US NHANES adults with diabetes; highest vs lowest quartile of intake) (HR 0.62 (95% CI 0.50-0.78)).
“When comparing the highest versus the lowest quartile of dietary magnesium intake, the adjusted hazard ratios (HR) were 0.62 (95% CI 0.50-0.78)”
HumansUS NHANES adults with diabetes; highest vs lowest quartile of intaken = 6,004
Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association
Dietary magnesium intake is associated with mortality in humans (Patients with gout or hyperuricemia).
“After multifactorial adjustments, higher dietary magnesium intake was associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality.”
HumansPatients with gout or hyperuricemia
Biological trace element research
Dietary magnesium intake is associated with mortality in humans (Patients with diabetic retinopathy) (HR=0.58, 95% CI: 0.38-0.88).
“Higher magnesium intake was associated with lower all-cause mortality risk (HR=0.58, 95% CI: 0.38-0.88) in DR patients.”
HumansPatients with diabetic retinopathyMedian follow-up of 75.00 monthsn = 1,034
Magnesium research
Dietary magnesium intake is associated with mortality in humans (Participants with type 2 diabetes) (HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.52–0.97).
“Sufficient dietary Mg intake was significantly associated with lower risks of ASCVD events and mortality in individuals with type 2 diabetes”
HumansParticipants with type 2 diabetesEqual to or greater than the recommended daily intakeMedian follow-up of 12.1 yearsn = 4,603
Diabetes & metabolism
Metabolic syndrome
downin humans3HR 0.84
3 studies
Metabolic syndrome
downin humans3HR 0.84
Dietary magnesium intake is linked with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome in humans (highest vs lowest quintile, multivariable-adjusted Cox regression) (HR 0.84 (95% CI 0.71-0.99)).
“the multivariable-adjusted Hazard Ratio (HR) for MetS comparing the highest to the lowest quintile of dietary magnesium intake was 0.84 (95% confidence intervals [CI] = 0.71-0.99)”
Humanshighest vs lowest quintile, multivariable-adjusted Cox regressionn = 6,104
Relationship between Dietary Magnesium Intake and Metabolic Syndrome
Nutrients
Dietary magnesium intake is linked with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome in humans across increasing quartiles of intake (prevalence 38.6% to 16.5% across increasing quartiles).
“The prevalence of the MetS was 38.6%, 28.9%, 22.5%, and 16.5% for increasing quartiles of dietary magnesium intake (p <0.001).”
Humansacross increasing quartiles of intakeweight-adjusted daily intaken = 8,120
Diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity : targets and therapy
Dietary magnesium intake is associated with metabolic syndrome in humans (highest vs lowest quartile of intake) (OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.19-0.69, P for trend 0.002).
“those with the highest intake of Mg had significantly lower risk of having MS compared to the lowest quartile of intake (OR: 0.36, 95% CI 0.19-0.69, P for trend 0.002)”
Humanshighest vs lowest quartile of intake
Dietary magnesium intake is related to metabolic syndrome in older Americans
European journal of nutrition
Cardiovascular disease mortality
downin humans2HR 0.54
2 studies
Cardiovascular disease mortality
downin humans2HR 0.54
Dietary magnesium intake is linked with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality in humans (US NHANES adults with diabetes; highest vs lowest quartile of intake) (HR 0.54 (95% CI 0.37-0.80)).
“adjusted hazard ratios (HR) were 0.62 (95% CI 0.50-0.78), 0.54 (95% CI 0.37-0.80) and 0.22 (95% CI 0.06-0.82) for all-cause mortality, CVD mortality and KD mortality in the US NHANES”
HumansUS NHANES adults with diabetes; highest vs lowest quartile of intaken = 6,004
Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association
Dietary magnesium intake is associated with cardiovascular disease mortality in humans (Patients with gout or hyperuricemia) (Nonlinear association; inflection points: 152.5 mg/day in gout and 303 mg/day in hyperuricemia).
“Nonlinear negative associations were found between dietary magnesium intake and CVD mortality among gout and HUA patients”
HumansPatients with gout or hyperuricemia
Biological trace element research
Stroke
upin humans1downin humans1OR 0.56–1.09
2 studies
Stroke
upin humans1downin humans1OR 0.56–1.09
Dietary magnesium intake is linked with a higher risk of stroke in humans (low versus normal intake) (OR 1.09 (95% CI 1.03-1.42)).
“Participants with low dietary magnesium intake had a higher stroke risk than those with normal magnesium intake (odds ratio [OR] 1.09, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-1.42).”
Humanslow versus normal intake≤254 mg/day versus >254 mg/day
Frontiers in nutrition
Dietary magnesium intake is linked with a lower risk of stroke in humans (highest vs lowest quartile of intake) (OR 0.56 (0.36-0.86), multivariate-adjusted, highest vs lowest quartile).
“In our study, an inverse association between dietary magnesium intake and the risk of stroke was found.”
Humanshighest vs lowest quartile of intaken = 29,653
Association of Dietary Magnesium Intake with the Risk of Stroke among Adults
International heart journal
Type 2 diabetes
downin humans1mixedin humans1OR 0.76
2 studies
Type 2 diabetes
downin humans1mixedin humans1OR 0.76
Dietary magnesium intake is linked with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes in humans (highest vs lowest quartile of intake) (OR 0.76 (95% CI 0.67–0.88), highest vs lowest quartile).
“Logistic regression analysis revealed that the OR (95% CI) of the highest versus dietary potassium and magnesium and potassium-magnesium ratio intakes were 0.67 (0.59, 0.75), 0.76 (0.67, 0.88)”
Humanshighest vs lowest quartile of intaken = 38,384
Biological trace element research
Dietary magnesium intake is associated with type 2 diabetes in humans (modifies the association of serum vitamin D with type 2 diabetes risk) (interaction p-value = 0.001).
“there was evidence of interaction between vitamin D levels and magnesium intake on decreasing the incidence of T2D (p-value for interaction = 0.001)”
Humansmodifies the association of serum vitamin D with type 2 diabetes riskn = 10,249
Frontiers in nutrition
Hypertension
downin humans1downin reviews1RR 0.92
2 studies
Hypertension
downin humans1downin reviews1RR 0.92
Dietary magnesium intake lowers the risk of hypertension.
“there exists an inverse dose-dependent relationship between dietary magnesium intake and serum magnesium and the risk of hypertension”
Review
Relationship of dietary magnesium intake and serum magnesium with hypertension: a review
Magnesium research
Dietary magnesium intake lowers the risk of hypertension in humans (highest vs lowest intake group) (RR 0.92 (95% CI 0.86–0.98)).
“An inverse association between dietary magnesium intake and the risk of hypertension [relative risk (RR) = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.86, 0.98] comparing the highest intake group with the lowest.”
Reviewhighest vs lowest intake group
Nutrition journal
Insulin resistance
downin humans2OR 0.435
2 studies
Insulin resistance
downin humans2OR 0.435
Dietary magnesium intake is linked with a lower risk of insulin resistance in humans (highest vs lowest quartile, multivariable-adjusted) (OR 0.435 (95% CI 0.376 to 0.502), highest vs lowest quartile).
“the multivariable-adjusted OR for HOMA-IR comparing the highest to the lowest quartile of dietary magnesium intake was 0.435 (95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.376 to 0.502)”
Humanshighest vs lowest quartile, multivariable-adjustedweight-adjusted daily intaken = 8,120
Diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity : targets and therapy
Dietary magnesium intake is associated with insulin resistance in humans (adjusted for caloric intake, physical activity, medication use and menopausal status).
“Multiple regression analysis revealed a strong inverse association between dietary magnesium with IR.”
Humansadjusted for caloric intake, physical activity, medication use and menopausal statusn = 2,295
PloS one
Sarcopenia
downin humans1OR 0.47
1 study
Sarcopenia
downin humans1OR 0.47
Dietary magnesium intake is linked with a lower risk of sarcopenia in humans (highest vs lowest quartile, after full adjustment including diet quality) (OR 0.47 (95% CI 0.23-0.95)).
“the highest quartile of magnesium intake (≥351 mg/day for women and ≥442 mg/day for men) was inversely associated with sarcopenia [odds ratio (OR) = 0.47, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.23-0.95]”
Humanshighest vs lowest quartile, after full adjustment including diet qualityhighest quartile: ≥351 mg/day women, ≥442 mg/day men
Frontiers in nutrition
Gut disorders
downin humans1
1 study
Gut disorders
downin humans1
Dietary magnesium intake is linked with a lower risk of gut disorders in humans (UK Biobank cohort) (334.7-420.0 mg/day conferring significant protection).
“dietary Mg intake was inversely correlated with gut disorder risk”
HumansUK Biobank cohort334.7-420.0 mg/dayn = 182,213
Magnesium Deficiency Accelerates Gut Aging and Increases Susceptibility to Colitis
Aging cell