According to the latest findings, magnesium deficiency can increase the risk of cancer – especially pancreatic and colon cancer. The positive effect could already be observed with a minimal increase in the daily magnesium intake.

Diabetes, heart problems, Alzheimer’s, seizures, chronic inflammation and now cancer are among the long list of diseases that magnesium can benefit from. It is, therefore, worthwhile to detect a magnesium deficiency and then to optimize your personal magnesium intake.

Magnesium deficiency is one of the causes of cancer

Magnesium is one of the most important minerals for humans – and at the same time one whose supply can be optimized most easily.

Many health risks increase when there is a magnesium deficiency – and so does the risk of cancer, as we now know.

In diabetes, magnesium can activate the function of the pancreas, but also increase the insulin sensitivity of the cells. Those who suffer from magnesium deficiency , i.e. eat a low-magnesium diet, are more likely to develop diabetes than people with a good magnesium supply.

In the case of heart problems, magnesium lowers blood pressure, alleviates inflammatory changes in the blood vessel walls and therefore reduces the risk of deposits, prevents the formation of blood clots and relaxes blood vessels.

In Alzheimer’s, magnesium deficiency can worsen cognitive abilities even further, and since Alzheimer’s is also associated with inflammatory changes and oxidative stress, but magnesium inhibits both, it becomes clear that ideally, optimal magnesium supply should be ensured even before the first signs of dementia appear.

In the case of cramps of all kinds – whether in the calf, migraines in the fine blood vessels of the brain or during menstruation in the abdomen – magnesium deficiency is the first possible cause to think about. Magnesium is therefore THE first-aid remedy par excellence.

Magnesium also plays an important role in the prevention of osteoporosis. Because calcium can only have a positive effect here if there is also sufficient magnesium present. With a magnesium deficiency, however, you can consume tons of calcium – without this having an overly positive effect on the bones ( not to mention the additional vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 that are required, of course).

Now the effects of a magnesium deficiency with regard to cancer have been examined and it has been found that magnesium can also have extremely positive effects here:

Magnesium deficiency increases risk of colon cancer

A study on this subject was conducted in two phases. The first part of the study was a case control study involving more than 1500 people.

It was shown here that for every 100 milligrams of magnesium that is additionally taken per day (whether through food or supplements), the risk of colorectal adenomas decreases by 19 percent. (Colorectal adenomas are a precancerous stage, which also includes colon polyps, for example.)

However, this test result was only statistically significant in those participants who had a body mass index of 25 or higher or were older than 55 years.

However, since the average BMI of the population as a whole is already over 25, the result of this study actually affects a large part of the population.

You already have a BMI of 25 with a weight of around 70 kg with a height of 1.65 m or with a weight of around 73 kg with a height of 1.70 m.

The second part of the study was a meta-analysis that compared and combined the results of the above study with those of various previous studies.

The scientists were able to prove the unfavourable influences of a magnesium deficiency even more impressively.

For the general population, it is, therefore, true that for every 100 milligrams of magnesium that is additionally taken daily, the risk of colorectal adenomas would decrease by 13 percent and the risk of developing colon cancer would decrease by 12 percent.

A higher magnesium intake, therefore, offers proportionally greater protection against disease, while a magnesium deficiency unnecessarily increases the risk of cancer.

Magnesium deficiency increases pancreatic cancer risk

The EPIC cohort study from Europe, which involved a total of approximately 142,000 men and 335,000 women, also provides an interesting study of the effects of magnesium deficiency on cancer risk.

Here it was investigated to what extent the risk of pancreatic cancer could be reduced with magnesium.

The analysis of the huge body of data showed that an increase in daily magnesium consumption by 100 mg could reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer by 21 percent in people with a BMI of at least 25.

This analysis also incorporated results from an earlier UK study showing that men with the comparatively highest magnesium intake (423 mg/day) had a 33 percent lower risk of developing the disease than men with low magnesium intake (281 mg/day). /day), i.e. were already suffering from a magnesium deficiency.

Magnesium deficiency in the development of cancer

It is not particularly surprising that magnesium deficiency plays such a large role in the development of cancer.

After all, magnesium acts as a cofactor in more than 300 enzymatic reactions and can also be found in every human body tissue.

In addition, magnesium plays an important role in the repair of human DNA (genetic material), in cell differentiation, proliferation and angiogenesis. All these processes are also significantly involved in the development of cancer.
If there is a magnesium deficiency, it is easier for the cells to degenerate and the development of cancer is facilitated.

Eliminate magnesium deficiency

In the USA, almost 80 percent of the population is said to have a magnesium deficiency, in Australia, the figure is between 20 and 50 percent, with a deficiency becoming more likely the older the person is, the more alcohol they drink and the more unhealthy they eat.

In addition, some diseases are usually always accompanied by a magnesium deficiency, e.g. B. diabetes or the precursor of diabetes (insulin resistance), food intolerance (e.g. gluten intolerance, fructose intolerance, histamine intolerance, lactose intolerance or similar) and of course chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis), irritable bowel or other complaints that associated with chronic diarrhea.

It, therefore, does no harm to check your own magnesium supply – whether with a view to preventing cancer, if you already have cancer or for other complaints – and adjust your diet accordingly.

You can find out how you can correct a magnesium deficiency with a healthy diet here: Correcting a magnesium deficiency with a healthy diet.