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Magnesium in drinking water in relation to morbidity and mortality from acute myocardial infarction
E Rubenowitz1, I Molin, G Axelsson
1Department of Environmental Medicine, Göteborg University, Sweden.
Insights
High magnesium levels in drinking water were linked to a reduced risk of death from acute myocardial infarction. This study suggests magnesium intake through water may lower heart attack mortality but not incidence.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Epidemiology
- Environmental Health
- Public Health
Background:
- Acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide.
- The role of minerals in drinking water, such as magnesium and calcium, in cardiovascular health is an area of ongoing research.
- Previous studies have suggested potential links between water mineral content and cardiovascular disease outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between magnesium and calcium concentrations in drinking water and the incidence and mortality of acute myocardial infarction.
- To determine if drinking water mineral content is an independent risk factor for acute myocardial infarction.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted in 18 Swedish municipalities.
- Cases included men and women aged 50-74 who experienced an acute myocardial infarction between October 1994 and June 1996.
- Controls were randomly selected from the same population. Data on drinking water magnesium and calcium levels were collected, and participants were interviewed regarding risk factors.
Main Results:
- Higher intake of magnesium from drinking water (highest quartile, ≥ 8.3 mg/liter) was associated with a significantly lower risk of death from acute myocardial infarction (odds ratio = 0.64; 95% CI = 0.42-0.97).
- The risk of death was 7.6% lower in the highest magnesium quartile.
- No significant association was found between drinking water magnesium or calcium levels and the total incidence of acute myocardial infarction. The study was inconclusive regarding calcium.
Conclusions:
- Magnesium in drinking water appears to be associated with reduced mortality from acute myocardial infarction.
- Drinking water magnesium may be a protective factor against fatal heart attacks.
- Further research is needed to confirm these findings and elucidate the mechanisms involved, particularly for calcium.
Abstract:
We investigated the importance of magnesium and calcium in drinking water in relation to morbidity and mortality from acute myocardial infarction. Cases were men and women 50-74 years of age living in 18 Swedish municipalities who had suffered an acute myocardial infarction some time between October 1, 1994, and June 30, 1996. Controls were randomly selected from the same study base. We interviewed the surviving cases (N = 823) and controls (N = 853), focusing on risk factors for acute myocardial infarction. We collected individual data on drinking water levels of magnesium and calcium. We classified subjects by quartile of water magnesium or calcium levels. The total number of cases was similar in the four quartiles. The risk of death was 7.6% (95% confidence interval = 2.1-13.1) lower in the quartile with high magnesium levels (> or = 8.3 mg/liter). The odds ratio for death from acute myocardial infarction in relation to water magnesium was 0.64 (95% confidence interval = 0.42-0.97) for the highest quartile relative to the three lower ones. Multivariate analyses showed that other risk factors were not important confounders. For calcium, this study was inconclusive. The data suggest that magnesium in drinking water is associated with lower mortality from acute myocardial infarction, but not with the total incidence.