A brand new Australian examine has recognized why a weight loss plan wealthy in magnesium is so necessary for our well being, lowering the danger of DNA harm and persistent degenerative issues.
Scientists from the College of South Australia measured blood samples from 172 center aged adults, discovering a robust hyperlink between low magnesium ranges and excessive quantities of a genotoxic amino acid known as homocysteine.
This poisonous mixture damages the physique’s genes, making individuals extra prone to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s illness, gastrointestinal illnesses, a spread of cancers, and diabetes.
Wholegrains, darkish inexperienced leafy greens, nuts, beans and darkish chocolate are all magnesium-rich meals, which assist the physique produce power, construct tooth and bones, regulate blood sugar and blood strain, and make sure that the center, muscular tissues and kidneys all work correctly.
UniSA molecular biologist Dr Permal Deo says a low consumption of magnesium (lower than 300mg per day) can enhance the danger of many illnesses, however its function in stopping DNA harm has not been absolutely studied in people till now.
“Our examine confirmed a direct correlation between low magnesium ranges in blood (lower than 18mg/L) and elevated DNA harm, even after adjusting for gender and age,” Dr Deo says.
“Blood ranges of magnesium, homocysteine (Hcy), folate and vitamin B12 have been measured, displaying an inverse correlation between magnesium and Hcy and a constructive correlation between magnesium, folate and vitamin B12. This means that sufficiently excessive magnesium ranges within the blood are important to guard our genes from toxicity brought on by homocysteine, which is elevated when folate and vitamin B12 are poor.”
Co-author Professor Michael Fenech says persistent magnesium deficiency is more likely to disrupt the physique’s potential to provide power and energy cells, inflicting accelerated tissue ageing and making individuals extra prone to early onset of many illnesses.
Magnesium is the fourth most plentiful mineral current within the human physique. Greater than 600 enzymes require it as a co-factor and nearly 200 require it to activate important processes within the physique.
“The subsequent step is to find out the optimum dietary consumption of magnesium, both by means of meals or dietary supplements and the way this might influence the onset or development of most cancers and different persistent illnesses,” Prof Fenech says..
The findings have been printed within the European Journal of Vitamin.