It’s a mineral you need for strong bones. Just not the one you’re thinking of. We’ve told you before it can help you prevent colorectal cancer. It may even help you keep your telomeres long and healthy as you age. But German research reveals its biggest benefit yet.

A team of scientists looked at the blood levels of this nutrient in 4,203 subjects. They followed their health over the next decade. By the end of the study they found more people in the group with low levels were dying… They had a 55% increase in cardiovascular deaths alone. But that’s not the worst part…

Not getting enough of this mineral can steal your bone density… It may even raise your risk for developing cancer…

It’s responsible for 300 different enzyme processes in your body. This includes blood pressure and blood sugar regulation. It also helps support muscle and nerve function. Not to mention energy production. There’s no question—it’s vital to your health. In fact, being deficient could be shortening your lifespan.

Researchers found the group with the lowest levels of it had an 85% higher all-cause mortality rate.1

We’re talking about magnesium.

But where you get it from may make a difference.

The subjects in this study were not taking a magnesium supplement. This means they were getting it only from the foods they ate.

Some of the best sources of it are almonds, avocado, cashews, spinach, and wild-caught salmon. These are foods high in healthy fats and trace minerals. It could mean that subjects with low magnesium also had poor diets.2 But we know for sure that subjects with high magnesium levels from food were dying less.

You can take a supplement if your levels are low. In this study, having serum levels under 0.73 mmol/l put subjects at risk. If your numbers are in that area, consider finding a natural magnesium supplement. You want to aim for about 500 mg of it a day. Getting more of it may help you prevent heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and stroke.3 It may translate to adding healthy years to your life.

But a word of caution…

Taking too much magnesium can be harmful. And if you have kidney problems, you need to be extra careful. Your kidneys can’t process too much of it at once. A buildup might lead to blood pressure problems—even death.

That’s why your best bet is to get magnesium from the foods you eat. If you’re already eating the foods we mentioned, try adding chard to your salad. And if you need a healthy snack, try raw organic pumpkin seeds. They pack more magnesium than any other food.4

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References:
1http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21703623
2http://naturalsociety.com/mineral-found-reduce-cause-mortality-dramatically/
3http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/magnesium/
4http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=75