Previous studies have shown that dietary magnesium intake affects biological processes,
Lifestyle and diet - modifiable factorsrisk of developing dementia. It is important that more is known about the role of magnesium as a preventive agent, the study authors say. Therefore, staff at the Australian National University studiedbrain volumesAndwhite matter lesions(white matter lesions, WML), and how these factors relate to dietary magnesium intake.
brain volume- a particularly important development factorneurodegenerative diseases. In people with Alzheimer's disease, its atrophy just precedes the appearance of clinical symptoms. An early characteristic of the disease is atrophy of the hippocampus, a complex brain structure that plays a role in learning and memory.
White matter is found throughout the centralnervous system, but mainly in the inner part of the brain. It consists of bundles of millions of nerve fibers that connect to the gray matter.white matter lesions- areas of abnormal myelination in the brainbrain, appear as bright spots on an MRI scan of the brain. Sometimes they indicate normal aging and have no clinical significance. But they often indicate inflammation and damage to myelin, the insulating sheath surrounding nerves. These abnormalities are thought to be an early sign of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and stroke.
The new study involved6,001 people aged 40 to 73 years who had no signs of neurological disorders. They filled out an online questionnaire five times over 16 months, and the scientists used their responses to calculate daily magnesium intake based on 200 foods of varying portion sizes.
It turned out that magnesium supplied with foodassociated with large brain volumes and low WML, especially in gray and white matter. The scientists found that the neuroprotective effect of magnesium was significant but varied in different brain regions (most notably in the gray matter and hippocampus).
Scientists compared data from people with normalmagnesium intake (about 350 mg) per day with those who took more than 550 mg with food. It turned out that the brain age of the first group was about a year younger than their “body age” upon reaching 55 years.
“Increasing magnesium intake by 41% leads toto reduce age-related decline in brain size. This is associated with improved cognitive function and a lower risk or delayed onset of dementia later in life,” explains Khawla Alatik, lead author of the study.
While the data showed a strong connectionBetween magnesium intake and brain volume and WML in men and women, the possible neuroprotective effects of the substance were significant only in women. Additionally, the study did not show an association between dietary magnesium intake and blood pressure.
Based on new evidence, researchers recommend increasing magnesium intake from an earlier age to protect against neurodegenerative diseases.
“Research has shown that higherDietary magnesium intake promotes neuroprotection earlier in the aging process, with preventive effects appearing at age 40 or even earlier. This means that people of all ages should pay more attention to their magnesium intake,” adds the author of the new work.
In the study, scientists used products inwhich are rich in magnesium: bananas, green leafy vegetables, avocados, cashews and almonds, legumes, tofu, fatty fish, seeds and whole grains. Dark chocolate is also rich in magnesium.
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