Observational epidemiologic studies have observed an inverse relationship between daily dietary magnesium intake and blood pressure (BP). Except for BP, magnesium may also beneficially affect other cardiovascular risk markers. Whether all these effects translate into improved vascular function is not known. Different vascular function markers at various stages on the pathway between diet and disease exist. One of these markers, vascular stiffness, is closely related to the process of atherosclerosis, an independent cardiovascular risk factor, and predictive of future cardiovascular events and mortality. To examine the integrated effects of interventions on cardiovascular risk, vascular stiffness may therefore serve as a marker at the later stage of cardiovascular disease development.