If you're getting plenty of leafy greens, dark chocolate, nuts, and beans, you're probably doing fine. But if your diet is lacking, you might want to pay attention to this new eye-opening study that links a mineral deficiency issue to DNA changes.
The study, carried out by researchers at the University of South Australia (UniSA), examined blood samples from 172 middle-aged adults and found that those who had low magnesium also had high levels of an amino acid called homocysteine. This is considered genotoxic, which means that it can damage human DNA.
Conversely, the study found a positive relationship between high levels of magnesium and those of folate and vitamin B12.
“Our study showed a direct correlation between low magnesium levels in blood (less than 18mg/L) and increased DNA damage, even after adjusting for gender and age,” says UniSA molecular biologist Dr. Permal Deo, who is a co-author on the study.
“Blood levels of magnesium, homocysteine (Hcy), folate and vitamin B12 were measured, showing an inverse correlation between magnesium and Hcy and a positive correlation between magnesium, folate and vitamin B12," he adds. "This indicates that sufficiently high magnesium levels in the blood are essential to protect our genes from toxicity caused by homocysteine, which is increased when folate and vitamin B12 are deficient.”
According to the researchers, the toxic combination of low magnesium and high levels of homocysteine can increase the likelihood of contracting gastrointestinal disease, several cancers, diabetes, and Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
The research team believes the damaging results of low magnesium are due to the fact that it can break down the body's ability to produce energy and power cells, which can in turn lead to faster tissue aging. Magnesium, which is the fourth most abundant mineral in the human body, has previously been linked to the healthy synthesis of DNA and RNA. Yet the mineral's deficiency had not yet been fully studied in terms of damaging these genetic carriers, say the researchers.
In addition to its effects on DNA, magnesium has been identified as a cofactor in over 300 enzyme systems in the body, including those that regulate blood pressure, control blood glucose levels, and ensure proper nerve function. Another study from Australia last year also linked sufficient levels of the mineral to larger brain volumes.
While the researchers intend to determine the optimal dietary intake of magnesium in future studies, Deo says a low daily intake is any amount below 300 mg per day. The FDA meanwhile recommends that adults between the ages of 31 get 420 mg per day. That's an amount that's fairly easy to get either through supplements or diet. For example, an ounce of roasted pumpkin seeds delivers 156 mg of magnesium, an ounce of chia seeds contains 111 mg of the mineral, and an ounce of almonds has 80 mg. Spinach, cashews, peanuts, and soy milk are also top sources.
The study has been published in the European Journal of Nutrition.
Source: University of South Australia