Magnesium can help the immune system to fight against cancer – Study finds
Research led by some Switzerland scientists suggests that a type of immune cell found in the human body called a cytotoxic or T cell can eliminate cancerous or infected cells, but only in the presence of magnesium. To lock on to their target cancerous cells, LFA-1 protein on the surface of the T cells is activated by magnesium, according to scientists.
Magnesium is an essential mineral for the body to stay healthy. Magnesium is naturally present in a wide variety of foods. It is available as a dietary supplement, and present in some medicines (such as antacids and laxatives).
Magnesium helps in regulating muscles and nerve function, blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and making protein, bone, and DNA. So, the deficiency of magnesium in the human body leads to several diseases.
“In the inactive state, this docking site is in a bent conformation and thus cannot efficiently bind to infected or abnormal cells,” explains Dr. Christoph Hess, Ph.D., from the University of Basel in Switzerland and senior author.
Previously, Scientists have shown that mice on a low-magnesium diet have weaker immunity against cancer and influenza.
“If magnesium is present in sufficient quantities in the vicinity of the T cells, it binds to LFA-1 and ensures that it remains in an extended — and therefore active — position,” Dr. Hess added.
“In light of our experimental data and the retrospective analyses we performed on two clinical trials, magnesium deficiency is very likely to be responsible for at least a proportion of the insufficient efficacy seen in cancer patients receiving immune therapy,” Dr. Hess told Medical News Today.
Dr. Hess and his colleagues are now trying to find ways for boosting the concentration of magnesium in the tumors of patients. They will also test whether giving magnesium supplements — either in pills or injections — to individuals with cancer can improve outcomes with two immune therapies.
“How extracellular magnesium affects immunity is an exciting and promising area of science,” said Dr. Wallace, from the Center for Magnesium Education & Research in Hawaii. “However, the research community needs to be concurrently assessing whole blood ionized magnesium (not common in research) to fully understand how diet [or] supplements can influence status.”
While analyzing the data of cancer immunotherapies from past clinical trials, they found that low levels of magnesium in the human body are linked with more rapid disease progression and shorter survival. The research paper is now published in which are involved Cell.com Researchers say, Magnesium is a major mineral that is involved with over 600 enzymatic reactions in the human body, many of which are involved with the functioning of the immune system.
So if you wanted to reduce the risk of cancer or other related diseases by boosting your immunity, consume a good amount of almonds, cashews, peanuts, spinach, beans, avocado, banana. Because these foods have a high amount of magnesium. Also eat dark chocolate, peanut butter, yogurt, etc.
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