[PHNUTR-L] High Magnesium Intake Lowers Colon Cancer Risk in Women

[Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD]

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High Magnesium Intake Lowers Colon Cancer Risk in Women
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/522993?sssdmh=dm1.180427&src=nldne

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Feb 06 - The findings from a study of U.S. 
women support the results of an earlier study of Swedish women -- that 
dietary magnesium intake is inversely associated with colon cancer risk. 
Still, the authors note that a clinical trial is needed to confirm that 
the benefit is due to magnesium intake rather than some related factor.

As reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology for February, Dr. 
Aaron R. Folsom and Dr. Ching-Ping Hong, from the University of 
Minnesota in Minneapolis, used food frequency questionnaires to assess 
magnesium intake in 35,196 Iowa women, between 55 and 69 years old at 
baseline, who were followed for colorectal cancer from 1986 through 2002.

During follow-up, 1112 women developed colorectal cancer, the report 
indicates. There was a nonsignificant trend toward decreased colorectal 
cancer risk as magnesium intake increased.

Further analysis showed that high magnesium intake offered no apparent 
protection against rectal cancer, but did significantly decrease the 
risk of colon cancer (p = 0.04). Women in the highest quintile of intake 
were 23% less likely to develop colon cancer than their peers in lowest 
quintile of intake.

In contrast, the Swedish study found that high magnesium intake was 
inversely associated with the risks of both colon and rectal cancer. The 
reasons for this difference are unclear, the authors note.

Magnesium has been hypothesized to cut the risk of colon cancer by 
reducing oxidative stress, improving insulin sensitivity, or through 
mechanisms that reduce colon epithelial cell proliferation, the authors 
note.

Am J Epidemiol 2006;163:232-235.
-- 
Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD < fivestar at nutritionucanlivewith.com >
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