Relationship between magnesium levels in drinking water and sudden infant death syndrome.

The possible association between the risk of death from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and the levels of magnesium in drinking water from municipal supplies was investigated in a matched case-control study in Taiwan. Characteristics for all SIDS deaths (501 cases) among Taiwan residents from 1988 through 1997 were compared with those of people who died from other causes (501 controls). The levels of magnesium in the drinking water of these residents were determined from data obtained from the Taiwan Water Supply Corporation (TWSC). The controls were pair-matched to the SIDS cases by sex, month and year of birth. The results of our study show that there is a significant trend towards a decreased risk of SIDS with increasing magnesium levels in drinking water.