Higher Dietary Magnesium Intake Associated with Larger Brain Volumes

by | May 16, 2023 | 2023, Brain Health, Magnesium, Minerals

Written by Taylor Woosley, Staff Writer. Higher baseline dietary magnesium intake was associated with larger brain volumes (gray matter: 0.001%, left hippocampus: 0.0013%, and right hippocampus: 0.0023%) in both men and women. 

magnesiumMagnesium (Mg) is an essential mineral for humans and is the second most abundant intracellular citation that is involved in almost all major metabolic and biochemical processes1. Mg is indispensable for maintaining normal cellular functions, as it is utilized in RNA and DNA syntheses, antioxidant level maintenance in the cell, and energy metabolism2. Furthermore, it has a crucial role in oxidative phosphorylation, and protein and nucleic acid synthesis3.

From a neurological standpoint, magnesium plays an essential role in nerve transmission and neuromuscular conduction4. It also preserves the integrity of the blood-brain barrier5. Past research has shown that elevated serum magnesium is associated with greater total brain volume and the volume of specific brain lobes6.

Alateeq et al. conducted a study to investigate associations between dietary Mg and brain volumes and white matter lesions (WMLs). Additionally, the study examined the association between Mg trajectories over time and brain volumes and WMLs. Subjects included were from the UK Biobank, a prospective cohort study between 2006 and 2023, including participants who had baseline diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) measurements and completed a structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan at the second evaluation. A total number of 6001 subjects aged 40-73 were included in the final analysis. Dietary Mg intake was measured using the Oxford WebQ, a 24 h recall questionnaire that was self-completed online.

Covariates included in the analysis consisted of age, sex, BMI, serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL), total cholesterol (TC), diabetes mellitus, smoking status, physical activity, and alcohol intake. Latent class analysis (LCA) was utilized to identify mutually exclusive subgroup of Mg intake trajectory separately for men and women. Hierarchical linear regression models were applied to examine the association between 1) baseline Mg, Mg trajectories and brain volumes at wave 2, 2) baseline Mg and baseline blood pressure, and 3) baseline Mg, Mg trajectories and BP changes between baseline and wave 2.

Of the participants, men were slightly older (~ 1 year) and had a slightly higher Mg intake (~30-40 mg), BMI (+1.2 kg/m2), SBP (+6.5 mmHg), and DBP (+3.84 mmHg) than women. Postmenopausal women had slightly higher Mg intake (~5-10 mg), BMI (+0.54 kg/m2), SBP (+9.5 mmHg), and DBP (+1.5 mmHg) than pre-menopausal women. Significant findings of the study are as follows:

  • Higher baseline Mg levels were strongly associated with larger brain volumes with some variations across ROIs and sexes. Every 1 mg higher in baseline Mg above 350 mg/day was associated with a 0.0011% larger gray matter, -0.0011% smaller white matter, 0.0008% larger left hippocampus, 0.0023% larger right hippocampus, and -0.001% lower WMLs in men.
  • Every 1 mg higher in baseline Mg above 350 mg/day was associated with a 0.001% larger gray matter, 0.001% larger white matter, 0.0018% larger LHC, 0.0023% RCH, and 0.0012 larger WMLs in women.
  • Regarding post-menopausal women, every additional 1 mg Mg above 350 mg/day was associated with a 3.4% larger white matter and -2.6% lower WMLs in post-menopausal compared to pre-menopausal women.
  • Associations between baseline Mg and blood pressure show that every 1 mg lower Mg below 350 mg/day was associated with a -6.97% decrease DBP and -3.68% decrease SBP in men and -2.81% decrease DBP and a 2.05% increase SBP in women.

Results of the study show that higher dietary Mg intake is associated with larger brain volumes and lower WMLs, with Mg effects differing by sex and being more evident in women. Findings suggest that higher dietary Mg intake is related to better brain health. Study limitations include the indirect measurement of Mg intake and the potential for the influence of several important risk factors that may have influenced other uncontrolled risk factors on brain morphology in men and women.

Source: Alateeq, Khawlah, Erin I. Walsh, and Nicolas Cherbuin. “Dietary magnesium intake is related to larger brain volumes and lower white matter lesions with notable sex differences.” European Journal of Nutrition (2023): 1-13.

© The Author(s) 2023

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Posted May 16, 2023.

Taylor Woosley studied biology at Purdue University before becoming a 2016 graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a major in Writing. She currently resides in Glen Ellyn, IL.

References:

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