Magnesium found to prevent fractures in elderly

Research conducted by the Universities of Bristol and Eastern Finland has found that magnesium could help prevent one of the most ‘preventable causes of disability in middle-aged to elderly people’.

The finding comes as bone fractures are cited as one of the leading causes of disability and ill health especially among the ageing population, which ultimately increases the burden on the health care system.

Scientists followed 2,245 middle-aged men over a 20-year period. The study indicated that men with lower blood levels of magnesium had an increased risk of fractures, particularly fractures of the hip.

Meanwhile, the risk of having a fracture was reduced by 44 per cent in men with higher blood levels of magnesium. None of the 22 men who had very high magnesium levels (> 2.3 mg/dl) in the study population experienced a fracture during the follow-up period. In the same study, dietary magnesium intake was not found to be linked with fractures.

The researchers highlighted that the new findings may have public health implications since low blood levels of magnesium are very common in the population, especially among middle-aged to elderly individuals who are also prone to fractures.

Nonetheless, the majority of magnesium low individuals will not experience any symptoms and since blood magnesium is not measured routinely in the hospital, such deficiencies are difficult to identify.

It has been speculated that the new findings could help trigger initiatives to include blood magnesium screening in routine blood panels, especially for the elderly.

Dr Setor Kunutsor, research fellow from the University of Bristol's Musculoskeletal Research Unit and lead researcher, said: "The findings do suggest that avoiding low serum concentrations of magnesium may be a promising though unproven strategy for risk prevention of fractures."

Professor Jari Laukkanen from the University of Eastern Finland and principal investigator, added: "The overall evidence suggests that increasing serum magnesium concentrations may protect against the future risk of fractures; however, well-designed magnesium supplementation trials are needed to investigate these potential therapeutic implications."