Magnesium boosts fight against cancer and infections

A simple mineral could help prime the immune system to ward off cancer and fight infections, according to a study by Switzerland’s University of Basel.

Researchers found magnesium acts as a bridge between the body’s killer T cells and cancer cells, helping detect and destroy them. Magnesium was also found to help T cells destroy viruses like influenza.

Following this discovery, the Swiss scientists looked at data from immunotherapy trials on cancer patients and found a correlation between patients whose health declined rapidly and those who were deficient in magnesium.