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Why Low Magnesium Levels Are A Risk Factor For Heart Disease

Author:

Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN

February 13, 2025

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

By Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN is a Registered Dietician Nutritionist with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition from Texas Christian University and a master’s in nutrition interventions, communication, and behavior change from Tufts University. She lives in Newport Beach, California, and enjoys connecting people to the food they eat and how it influences health and wellbeing.

Image by Evil Pixels Photography / Stocksy

February 13, 2025

It’s no secret that what we eat impacts our heart health. Fiber is vital for keeping cholesterol levels in check, and omega-3 fats help keep inflammation under control. One nutrient that has a big sway in our cardiovascular health is magnesium.

A review published in the journal Nutrients summarizes 20+ years of data on the relationship between magnesium and heart disease risk 1.

The researchers overwhelmingly stated that a lack of magnesium is a key risk factor for conditions like stroke, heart failure, coronary artery calcification, atrial fibrillation, and hypertension. And, they emphasized that low dietary magnesium intake played a significant role in this.

Here’s what you need to know.

How does magnesium influence heart health?

Magnesium is a mineral that’s involved in over 300 chemical processes throughout the body.

Not having enough magnesium in your system means some of these processes won’t be functioning optimally, and that can negatively affect your heart.

For example, data from human, animal, and even cell studies all show that low magnesium is linked to:

Inflammatory stress: People with a low magnesium status often have higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP)—a marker of inflammation. Chronically high levels of CRP are an indicator of chronic inflammation, which increases heart disease risk.
Oxidative stress: Oxidative stress occurs when there is an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants. Low magnesium exacerbates oxidative stress in the body and decreases antioxidant activity.
Abnormal lipid levels: Magnesium deficiency has been shown to increase triglycerides and LD cholesterol concentrations, contributing to atherosclerosis.
Blood vessel dysfunction: Damaged or inflamed blood vessels are a major risk factor for heart disease, and low magnesium levels increase free radicals and inflammation in blood vessels.
Unfavorable changes in electrolytes: Magnesium (and other minerals like calcium, potassium, and sodium) are also called electrolytes. Low magnesium disrupts electrolyte balance by increasing the calcium content of cells, which also promotes inflammation.

What counts as low magnesium?

It’s clear that having a low magnesium status is not good for your heart, and there are two main types of magnesium deficiency.

Magnesium deficiency: This is when blood concentrations of magnesium are below a certain threshold. This often indicates a significant lack of magnesium in the body.
Chronic latent magnesium deficiency: This refers to a long-term, mild deficiency. Blood levels of the mineral are still likely within the normal range (although at the lower end), however, stores of magnesium in bones and tissue are low. This is harder to diagnose.

While a true magnesium deficiency is not super common (about 2.5% to 15%2 of the general population), chronic latent magnesium deficiency is much more common.

That’s because the body does everything it can to maintain blood magnesium levels within a normal range—including taking magnesium from the bones and soft tissue.

Around 43% of U.S. adults don’t get enough magnesium in their diet, and researchers of this review estimate that more than 25% of those folks have chronic latent magnesium deficiency. And it’s this mild deficiency that’s a driver of heart disease (even among those who are seemingly healthy).

How to increase your magnesium intake

magnesium+ rest & recovery

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The bright side is that you can improve your magnesium status by eating more magnesium-rich foods. This includes foods like almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, beans, leafy greens, dark chocolate, and tofu.

You can also incorporate a magnesium supplement into your daily routine. And there are many ways to do that.

Some multivitamins have small amounts of magnesium, which is most helpful if you already eat a balanced diet. Many electrolyte powders provide a low- to moderate-dose of magnesium which is a great daily option for those who are physically active.

To really increase and support magnesium levels, look for options that provide 200+ milligrams of magnesium (this is also a great dose for a magnesium-based sleep supplement).

Keep in mind that magnesium is an essential mineral—meaning you have to get enough daily to support your body’s needs.

The takeaway

Persistently low magnesium levels are becoming more and more recognizable as a risk factor for heart disease.

Eating plenty of magnesium-rich foods and supplementing with the mineral ensures you're getting enough of this mineral to support your heart and overall health.