Magnesium and certain other elements and cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be the major cause of mortality in developed countries. For the past two-and-a-half decades the inverse relationship between water hardness and CVD mortality has stimulated interest among epidemiologists, clinicians and experimental researchers. Much progress has been made in elucidating which element in the water may account for this situation. After reviewing those elements found to have a role in cardiovascular function the authors present the epidemiological evidence and its consistency with recent findings: aside from various trace elements emphasis is placed on magnesium which is recognized as having a vital role.