MEDLINE ABSTRACT
Calcium and magnesium in drinking water
and risk of death from cerebrovascular disease.
Author: Yang CY
Author Affiliation: School of Public Health, Kaohsiung
Medical College, Taiwan, Republic of China.
chunyuh*cc.kmc.edu.tw
Source: Stroke 1998 Feb;29(2):411-4
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Many studies have
demonstrated a negative association between mortality from
cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases and water hardness.
This report examines whether calcium and magnesium in drinking
water are protective against cerebrovascular disease.
METHODS: All eligible cerebrovascular deaths
(17133 cases) of Taiwan residents from 1989 through 1993 were
compared with deaths from other causes (17133 controls), and the
levels of calcium and magnesium in drinking water of these
residents were determined. Data on calcium and magnesium levels
in drinking water throughout Taiwan were obtained from the Taiwan
Water Supply Corporation. The control group consisted of people
who died from other causes, and the controls were pair matched to
the cases by sex, year of birth, and year of death.
RESULTS: The adjusted odds ratios (95%
confidence interval) were 0.75 (0.65 to 0.85) for the group with
water magnesium levels between 7.4 and 13.4 mg/L and 0.60 (0.52
to 0.70) for the group with magnesium levels of 13.5 mg/L or
more. After adjustment for magnesium levels in drinking water,
there was no difference between the groups with different levels
of calcium.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study
show that there is a significant protective effect of magnesium
intake from drinking water on the risk of cerebrovascular
disease. This is an important finding for the Taiwan water
industry and human health.
This page was first uploaded to The Magnesium Web Site on June
13, 1998
http://www.mgwater.com/
Healthy Water
Association--USA