Magnesium Gap : Heart Ills Linked to Soft Water

People living in areas with soft water are more likely to suffer heart disease and other deadly ailments because of low levels of magnesium in their drinking water, researchers said.

Scientists at the recent International Symposium on Magnesium in Los Angeles revealed evidence linking magnesium deficiency--which can also be caused by stress and alcoholism--to ischemic heart disease, a condition that can cause heart attacks that kill within a matter of hours.

“Death from ischemic heart disease is a very rapid demise,” said Dr. Burton Altura, a professor of physiology at the State University of New York.

“When autopsies are performed on these people, 40% to 50% of the hearts look perfectly normal,” Altura said. “But apparently what these people have in common are strikingly low magnesium levels.

“We still do not know all of the physiological attributes of this mineral, but we have found that people living in soft water areas have the lowest magnesium levels in their bodies and the highest incidence of heart disease.”

Drinkers of Hard Water

Conversely, studies presented at the symposium show that people who drink hard water have lower incidences of heart disease, strokes and hypertension, Altura said. Magnesium and calcium are the two minerals that combine to make hard water.

The Merck’s Manual, a standard reference for doctors, states that ischemic heart attacks are responsible for 35% of deaths among men aged 35 to 50 who die of heart disease.

In some areas, water is naturally soft because it lacks magnesium and calcium. People often artificially soften their water by removing the magnesium and calcium.

“When patients have low magnesium levels an imbalance is created, causing cells to become overloaded with other minerals,” Altura said. “Ischemia results when a patient becomes overloaded with calcium.”

Magnesium, the sixth most common metallic element, accounts for 2.5% of the Earth’s crust and is found in water, milk, nuts, green vegetables and fruits.

Studies show that magnesium deficiency can also be created by diuretics, antibiotics, the heart drug digitalis and cyclosporin, a drug that suppresses the immune system.