Magnesium cuts fracture risk in middle-aged men

Magnesium really is one of those no-brainer supplements. And as long as research continues proving its impressive benefits, I’ll keep on telling you about it.

Here are just a few of the many ways I’ve mentioned in the past that magnesium bolsters health:

And now I’ve come across a new study that shows that magnesium is just as important for bone health as it is for metabolic health.

This might not come as a big surprise to those of you who take vitamins and minerals every day. You may already have magnesium — along with calcium, vitamin D3, strontium, and K2 — in your bone health arsenal.

But for those of you who don’t already know the bone-building benefits of magnesium (or if you just need more evidence that it’s really that important), read on…

The study I just came across was conducted in Finland over a period of 20 years. The researchers looked at the records of more than two thousand middle-aged men. The goal? To see how their magnesium levels matched up with their risk of bone fracture.

They found that the men with higher magnesium levels were less likely to break a bone over the study period. They also found that very few men — less than 1 percent — had what classified as “high magnesium levels.”

This is a major public health concern. Why? Because broken bones are a leading cause of disability as people get older. And conditions like osteoporosis weaken the bones, making fractures more likely.

Add to that the fact that many of the medications people start taking as they get older — acid reflux drugs, blood pressure medications, and statins, just to name a few — increase bone loss.

So protecting bone strength and integrity is essential for adults who are middle-age and older. And one of the keys to doing that is making sure your magnesium levels are optimal. But as the study revealed, the vast majority of people aren’t getting enough.

And, unfortunately, most doctors don’t routinely test for it. So it’s worth asking your doctor to test your blood magnesium levels, to get a better sense of where you stand. (If he or she won’t order this test for you, you can order it yourself through a company called Direct Labs. Just visit their website at www.DirectLabs.com/OVH1. Or call 800-908-0000 and reference account code: R-OVH.)

If your levels are low, start by incorporating more magnesium-rich foods into your diet. Dark leafy greens, nuts, and avocado are all good sources. But it’s a good idea to add a magnesium supplement to your daily regimen as well. I always recommend magnesium orotate (32 mg per day) or taurate (125 mg per day), which are best absorbed by the body.

Oh, and when it comes to bone health, don’t forget that exercise is also a key component. So make sure to prioritize consistent exercise life if you want to keep your bones strong, healthy, and fracture-free.

 

Source:

http://www.webmd.boots.com/vitamins-and-minerals/news/20170413/magnesium-could-prevent-broken-bones


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