A Summary of a Magnesium and Vitamin B6 Clinical Study by Pouteau et al. (2018)
Reviewed by John Cutts, PhD | Research & Development
Overview
The following summary reviews clinical research examining oral magnesium supplementation, alone and in combination with vitamin B6, in the context of perceived stress in healthy adults with suboptimal serum magnesium concentrations.
Summary
Superiority of Magnesium and Vitamin B6 over Magnesium Alone on Severe Stress in Healthy Adults with Low Magnesemia: A Randomized, Single-Blind Clinical Trial
Published in: PLOS ONE
Study Design: Randomized, controlled, investigator-blinded clinical trial
Participants: 264 healthy adults aged 18–50 years with moderate to extremely severe stress (DASS-42 stress subscale score >18) and suboptimal serum magnesium concentrations (0.45–0.85 mmol/L); approximately 74% female
Dose: 300 mg elemental magnesium daily divided into three intakes, with or without 30 mg vitamin B6 daily, for 8 weeks
Outcome Measures: Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-42) stress subscale score; erythrocyte magnesium concentrations; serum vitamin B6 levels; adverse event incidence
What Was Studied: A randomized clinical trial to evaluate whether combining magnesium with vitamin B6 produced greater reductions in perceived stress compared to magnesium supplementation alone, in healthy adults with moderate to extremely severe stress who also presented with suboptimal serum magnesium concentrations. Participants were randomized 1:1 to receive either a magnesium–vitamin B6 combination or magnesium alone over 8 weeks. The primary endpoint was change in DASS-42 stress subscale score from baseline to Week 8. Pre-specified subgroup analyses stratified by baseline stress severity were conducted following identification of a statistically significant interaction between baseline stress level and treatment group.
About the Reviewer
Name & Title: John Cutts, Director of Research at Solaray
Credentials: PhD Pharmacology & Toxicology
Bio: John Cutts, Ph.D. earned his Doctorate of Philosophy in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and his Bachelors of Science in Chemistry from BYU-Idaho. He has nearly 20 years of experience in the dietary supplement space, with a focus on scientific substantiation, regulatory affairs, and product development. His graduate research centered on the health-related properties of botanical compounds. He currently works in research and development, where he evaluates clinical evidence for dietary supplement ingredients.
Reference
Pouteau E, Kabir-Ahmadi M, Noah L, Mazur A, Dye L, Hellhammer J, Pickering G, Dubray C. Superiority of magnesium and vitamin B6 over magnesium alone on severe stress in healthy adults with low magnesemia: A randomized, single-blind clinical trial. PLOS ONE. 2018;13(12):e0208454. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30562392/