New study Does magnesium deficiency in children lead to hypertension?

A recent study from Mexico shows that there seems to be a link between magnesium deficiency and high blood pressure in children.

Low levels of magnesium are discussed in connection with many chronic diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, type 2 diabetes and hypertension. The Mexican scientists wanted to know if this is relevant in the case of hypertension in children. They studied 3,954 healthy Mexican children between the ages of six and fifteen. Exclusion criteria included type 2 diabetes, endocrine disorders, liver and kidney disease, abnormal fasting glucose, chronic diarrhea, and vitamin or magnesium supplementation within the past six months.

Magnesium deficiency can increase blood pressure. Picture: Kzenon - fotolia

Deficiency at values ​​below 1.8 mg / dl
As magnesium deficiency doctors defined values ​​below 1.8 mg / dl. Blood samples were taken in the morning after a fasting period of eight to ten hours. The proportion of children in the younger age group with pre-hypertension was 12.2%, with hypertension 6.4%. For the older children, the odds were slightly higher at 13.9% and 10.6%.

Serum magnesium measurements showed that 27.3% of the smaller children with pre-hypertension had magnesium deficiency and 45.6% had hypertension. In the group of older children, the corresponding proportions were 36.0 and 49.6%. Thus, the probability of hypertension at magnesium levels that are too low was almost five times higher in the smaller children, and nearly twice in the group with the older children. The study can be found here. (Pm)