8 Reasons Men Die Five Years Earlier Than Women (And One Mineral That Could Be Beneficial)

AP Writing Team on June 18, 2020

It’s no secret, men don’t live as long as women do. On average, a man’s life ends five years sooner than a woman’s. There are a few theories on this, but most of them boil down to health and lifestyle.

Wondering what might help men live a lot longer? Read on.

First, let’s look at the top causes of premature death most men face. We were pretty surprised to see that in the end, adding this master mineral could help: Magnesium.

Magnesium is a mineral that is crucial to the body’s function, needed for over 300 biochemical reactions. It is present in an array of vegetables, fruits, and nuts. But if you want to be absolutely sure you’re getting and absorbing the mineral, it may be best to supplement.

There are 8 leading causes of death for men that magnesium can play a role in managing. [1]

Number One: Heart Disease

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women, but men usually develop heart disease 10 to 15 years earlier than women and are therefore more likely to die of it in their prime.

So, how can magnesium help? Researchers have found that intake of magnesium – whether from food or supplementation – helps lower your risk of heart disease, with a high intake of magnesium having the greatest benefit. [2]

Andrea Rosanoff, Ph.D., director of research and science information outreach for the Center for Magnesium Education & Research, LLC, in Pahoa, Hawaii, led a study that reviewed cardiovascular research spanning over 70 years, and she had this to say about their findings:

“Common risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as high LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, and metabolic syndrome are all associated with low nutritional magnesium status or low magnesium dietary intakes” … “there are many peer-reviewed studies that show correcting or preventing a nutritional magnesium deficit can and will correct or prevent cardiovascular disease events, including death.” [3]

Number Two: Cancer

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the leading causes of cancer-related death in men are lung cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, and pancreatic cancer.

A study published by Indiana University in the British Journal of Cancer culled the data of over 66,000 men and women aged 50-76, looking at the direct association between pancreatic cancer and magnesium. They found that for every 100 mg per day decrease in magnesium intake, there was a 24 percent increase in the occurrence of pancreatic cancer. [4]

Another study found that higher magnesium intake was linked with a modest reduction in the risk of colorectal cancer. Yet another found that magnesium levels were significantly lower in men with high-grade prostate cancer. [5-6]

Number Three: Accidents

Car accidents, falls, work injuries – they all fall under this category. You may be wondering: how could magnesium help prevent a car accident? While it may not directly prevent such an accident, it can have an effect on something that can. Mental alertness.

Research has linked magnesium deficiency to depression, behavioral disturbances, headaches, muscle cramps, seizures, ataxia, psychosis, and irritability. A lack of magnesium can also disrupt sleep or be the cause of insomnia, making one chronically fatigued and, well, more prone to accidents. [7-8]

An estimated 21 percent of fatal crashes, 13 percent of crashes resulting in severe injury, and 6 percent of all crashes involve a drowsy driver. It’s estimated that in 2017, 91,000 police-reported crashes involved drowsy drivers, leading to about 50,000 people being injured. [9]

A review of 27 research studies estimated that about 13% of work injuries can be attributed to sleep problems. [10]

None of this is overly surprising. Sleep deprivation makes you clumsy, less responsive, and sluggish. If you can’t sleep at night, Activation Products’ topical magnesium spray Ease Magnesium can help. It’s used by thousands of people, who spray it on before bed each night to enjoy better sleep. If you’d like to try a bottle, there is a special offer on the next page. Take a look!

The spray is made with bioavailability in mind, absorbing right through the skin and into your cells. A magnesium spray like this is one of the easiest ways to give your body more magnesium. It absorbs fast and does not cause a digestive upset like other forms of magnesium supplements. If you are concerned that you may not be getting enough magnesium, try using a magnesium spray like Ease before bed.

Number Four: Stroke

A blood clot or broken blood vessel can cut off blood flow to certain parts of the brain, damaging cells, and causing brain damage or death. But magnesium can help discourage this from happening in the first place.

A study published in the Frontiers of Neurology found that increasing magnesium intake “may be a crucial component of stroke prevention.” Another study in The Natural Medicine Journal found that for each 100 mg increase in magnesium, the risk of stroke was reduced by 8 percent. [11-12]

Magnesium has also shown some positive results in studies revolving around stroke treatment, though researchers believe that this needs to be studied further. [13]

Strokes are caused by high blood pressure and heart disease, among other health conditions – things that we’ve already established can be discouraged with good magnesium levels.

Here is another disease that can lead to stroke, but magnesium can lower your risk of getting:

Number Five: Diabetes

Over a third of people with diabetes do not know that they have it. This is why diabetes is referred to as the silent killer. There are two types of diabetes: type-1 and type-2. Type-2 is the most common type – affecting 90-95 percent of those who have the disease – and generally appears after the age of 40. Diabetes can cause stroke, heart disease, and kidney failure – all problems that magnesium can potentially help you avoid.

Magnesium deficiency is associated with insulin resistance, which causes type-2 diabetes. It makes sense, then, that most people with type-2 diabetes are found to be deficient in magnesium.

A study involving over 160,000 participants over 28 years found that higher magnesium intake is linked to lower risk of developing type-2 diabetes. An analysis involving over 500,000 participants discovered that those with the lowest magnesium intakes were 22 percent more likely to be diagnosed with type-2 diabetes than those with the highest intakes. Additionally, for every 100 mg of magnesium intake received per day, researchers found a 14 percent reduction in relative risk of type-2 diabetes. [14-15]

And those are only two of many studies on the relationship between magnesium and diabetes.

Number Six: Suicide

Unfortunately, men are less likely than women to seek help for depression – the leading cause of disability in the United States. Mental health officials believe that this is why men are 3.56 times more likely to commit suicide than women. [16]

The first study regarding magnesium as a treatment for depression was published in 1921 and showed success in 220 out of 250 cases. Since then, tons of studies have been carried out, with positive results emerging. For instance, magnesium supplementation was shown in one instance to have similar effects to some anti-depressants. Other research showed that magnesium intake may help discourage depression and that there is some evidence that magnesium deficiency may be a potential cause of depression. [17]

As mentioned earlier, magnesium is critical to many functions in the body, including the brain. Without it, an array of mental health conditions can arise. Medical literature has linked low magnesium levels to many neurological disorders, including depression, anxiety, migraines, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and stroke. [18]

While magnesium has been clinically proven to help with mental health issues, it won’t help you in a single moment. If you are experiencing thoughts of self-harm, please call your local suicide hotline using this directory. People care about you and want nothing more than to help. [19]

Number Seven: Kidney Disease

Kidney disease happens when the kidneys become damaged and cannot filter blood properly. Unfortunately, this often happens slowly and goes undetected until the kidneys have almost failed. The top two causes of kidney disease are diabetes and high blood pressure – both disorders that magnesium has been shown to discourage or help manage.

A study carried out by John Hopkin’s University looked at more than 13,000 participants over the span of 21 years. They found that low magnesium levels had a “significant association” with the development of kidney disease. [20]

Another study published in the Journal of Nephrology found that – on a spectrum of magnesium intake – those taking the least were nearly double at risk for rapid kidney function decline than those taking the most.

Magnesium is also essential for minimizing the risk of kidney stones, and silent kidney stones significantly increase the risk of kidney failure. [21]

Number Eight: Alzheimer’s Disease

As discussed above, magnesium plays an important role in brain function, so it makes sense that the brain would degenerate over time without the presence of this essential mineral. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia, currently affects about 4.5 million Americans and is projected to affect 14 million Americans by 2050 if no cure or preventative measure is found.

As of now, health officials urge people to exercise and get proper nutrition in order to avoid the disease. This includes magnesium. Studies have not only linked magnesium deficiency to the development of Alzheimer’s disease but have also found that Alzheimer’s patients commonly have lower levels of magnesium. Because of this, researchers have determined that magnesium must be further studied as a preventative method for the disease. [22]

One study of more than 1,400 healthy participants found that higher magnesium intake was associated with an 86 percent reduced risk in developing minor cognitive impairment in men. Another which followed 1,000 adults aged 60+ over a 17-year period found that those who took more than 200 mg of magnesium a day were 37 percent less likely to develop any type of dementia and 74 percent less likely to develop vascular dementia. [23-24]

Though not Alzheimer’s specifically, it does show the importance that magnesium may have in the preservation of brain function.

How Can Men Get More Magnesium?

Letting women win at some things is okay, but when it comes to longevity, man oh man, let’s be a bit better! All it could take is some magnesium, so why not give it a try?

Or, if you’re simply hoping for a future of health and vitality, magnesium could help you see that reality.

Activation Products’ Ease Magnesium is a great way to increase your magnesium levels each day. Regular use restores healthy magnesium levels and promotes calcium absorption. Each bottle of Ease is filled to the top with nothing but distilled water and pure iMCH™, an all-natural, bioavailable magnesium solution. Unlike other transdermal magnesium products, Ease does not cause stinging, burning or itching, and will not leave a residue on the skin.

Activation is currently running a special offer on Ease magnesium which you can view by clicking here. Ease is used by thousands of people, made in North America and contains pharmaceutical grade magnesium, sourced from the Dead Sea. You won’t find a better way to top your magnesium levels up each day.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration. The information in this article should not be used to ignore good medical advice. Always consult your doctor before taking any new supplement or stopping any medication. Magnesium is not approved to treat, cure or prevent any disease. The results mentioned in this article are not necessarily typical.

References and Resources:

Please note that the views expressed in comments on our blog do not necessarily reflect the views of Activation Products and are exclusively the opinions of individual commenters. Any experiences described by individual commenters cannot be said to be typical and may not be experienced by all users.

To report abuse, please email [email protected].

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8 Reasons Men Die Five Years Earlier Than Women (And One Mineral That Could Be Beneficial)

Please note that the views expressed in comments on our blog do not necessarily reflect the views of Activation Products and are exclusively the opinions of individual commenters. Any experiences described by individual commenters cannot be said to be typical and may not be experienced by all users.

To report abuse, please email [email protected].

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