Recent AHA research indicates that magnesium could slightly lower certain patients' blood pressure. | Courtesy of Shutterstock
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Amanda Rupp | Jul 12, 2016

Magnesium could slightly decrease blood pressure, AHA study suggests

According to a recent American Heart Association (AHA) Rapid Access Journal Report study, magnesium may slightly decrease blood pressure among patients.

Study participants took approximately 368 milligrams (mg) of magnesium each day for about three months. This decreased their systolic blood pressure by two millimeters of mercury and diastolic blood pressure by 1.78 millimeters of mercury.

Magnesium is an essential element found within the human body. Magnesium intake can be increased by eating beans, whole grains, green leafy vegetables and nuts.

“This study underscores the importance of consuming a healthy diet that provides the recommended amount of magnesium as a strategy for helping to control blood pressure,” Penny Kris-Etherton, distinguished professor of nutrition at the University of Pennsylvania, said. “Importantly, this amount of magnesium (368 mg/day) can be obtained from a healthy diet that is consistent with AHA dietary recommendations.”

Researchers qualify this study by stating that magnesium may only help people who have a deficiency or insufficiency of magnesium in their systems; but some health experts believe that these positive results for magnesium could change how people treat high blood pressure in the future.

“With its relative safety and low cost, magnesium supplements could be considered as an option for lowering blood pressure in high-risk persons or hypertension patients,” Dr. Yiqing Song, lead author and associate professor in the department of epidemiology at the Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health at Indiana University, said.

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