Magnesium is often hailed as a super pill. It’s said to promote sleep, regulate mood and may improve exercise performance in older adults.

There are so many claimed lifestyle benefits, science can’t keep up validating or debunking these claims.

Science is busy investigating magnesium’s role in hundreds of enzyme systems that regulate biochemical reactions in the body.

We rely on magnesium to keep our hearts beating steadily. It keeps our nerves messaging reliably, and bones strong. We need it to contract our muscles, and produce energy.

It’s also involved in the structural function of proteins, nucleic acids and mitochondria.

A study from the University of South Australia (UniSA) has found a strong link between low magnesium levels and high amounts of a genotoxic amino acid called homocysteine.

When something is genotoxic it means it’s damaging to DNA.

This damage affects enzymes involved in DNA replication. This causes mutations that may lead to cancer or birth defects.

The researchers report that this particular combination (low magnesium levels and high amounts of homocysteine) “damages the body’s genes, making people more susceptible to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, gastrointestinal diseases, a range of cancers, and diabetes”.

The finding was made by examining blood samples from 172 middle-aged adults.

What is homocysteine?

According to the Cleveland Clinic:

Vitamins B12, B6 and folate break down homocysteine to create other chemicals your body needs.

High homocysteine levels may mean you have a vitamin deficiency.

Without treatment, elevated homocysteine increases your risks for dementia, heart disease and stroke.

This happens because high levels of homocysteine can lead to blood clots or blood vessel blockages.

What the researchers say

UniSA molecular biologist Dr Permal Deo, in a statement, said: “A low intake of magnesium (less than 300 milligrams per day) can increase the risk of many diseases. But its role in preventing DNA damage has not been fully studied in humans until now.”

He said the study showed “a direct correlation between low magnesium levels in blood (less than 18mg/L) and increased DNA damage, even after adjusting for gender and age”.

Blood levels of magnesium, homocysteine (Hcy), folate and vitamin B12 were measured, “showing an inverse correlation between magnesium and Hcy and a positive correlation between magnesium, folate and vitamin B12”.

He said that sufficiently high magnesium levels in the blood “are essential to protect our genes from toxicity caused by homocysteine, which is increased when folate and vitamin B12 are deficient”.

Co-author Professor Michael Fenech said chronic magnesium deficiency is likely to disrupt the body’s ability to produce energy and power cells.

This causes accelerated tissue ageing and making people more susceptible to early onset of many diseases.”

“The next step is to determine the optimal dietary intake of magnesium, either through food or supplements and how this could impact the onset or progression of cancer and other chronic diseases,” Fenech said.

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral present in the human body. Sixty per cent of it is in our bones.

Wholegrains, dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans and dark chocolate are all magnesium-rich foods.