*4.4.3 Magnesium*

Magnesium is the second most abundant intracellular cation and is involved in about 300 biochemical reactions related to anabolic and catabolic actions in the body, such as glycolysis and protein and lipid metabolism [55–56]. The Women's Health Initiative Observational Study (*n* = 3713 postmenopausal women, aged 50–79 years) reported that intake of dietary magnesium was independently and inversely associated with plasma concentrations of hs-CRP, IL-6, and sVCAM-1 in postmenopausal women after an adjustment for multiple variables including dietary fiber, fruit, vegetables, folate, and saturated and trans-fatty intake [57]. Another study done by Guerrero-Romero and Rodriguez- Moran found that low serum Mg levels were independently related to elevated CRP concentration, in nondiabetic, nonhypertensive obese subjects (*n* = 371) [15, 58].
