A Summary of a Magnesium Clinical Study by Dominguez et al. (2006)
Reviewed by Tamberlyn Blinsink, ND, MPH | Research & Development
Overview
The following summary reviews clinical research examining serum magnesium concentrations in relation to muscle performance outcomes in a community-resident older adult population. At the time of this research, the role of magnesium in maintaining muscle integrity and function in older adults was largely unknown, and few prior studies explored the association between magnesium status and muscle performance in older subjects. The study aimed to investigate whether serum magnesium concentration was independently related to muscle performance in community-resident persons aged 65 years and older.
Summary
Magnesium and muscle performance in older persons: the InCHIANTI study
Published in: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Study Design: Cross-sectional epidemiologic study (baseline examination of the InCHIANTI prospective cohort)
Participants: 1,138 community-resident men and women with a mean age of 66.7 years (range spanning adults 65 years and older, with 76.5% older than 65), free of severe cognitive impairment, chronic kidney disease, and hypercalcemia
Dose: Not applicable — this study measured serum magnesium concentrations rather than administering a magnesium supplement
Outcome Measures: Handgrip strength (isometric dynamometry), lower-leg muscle power (single leg extension), knee extension torque (isometric dynamometry with standardized formula), and ankle extension isometric strength (isometric dynamometry); peripheral quantitative computerized tomography (pQCT) for muscle area and density
What Was Studied: Dominguez et al. analyzed baseline data from the InCHIANTI (Invecchiare in Chianti) study, a prospective population-based epidemiologic survey of risk factors for late-life mobility disability conducted in two towns in the Chianti area of Tuscany, Italy. Researchers examined whether serum magnesium concentration was independently associated with multiple standardized indexes of physical muscle performance — including grip strength, lower-leg muscle power, knee extension torque, and ankle extension isometric strength — after adjustment for a comprehensive set of covariates. Three sequential linear regression models were applied, progressively adjusting for age, sex, and BMI (Model 1); additional laboratory variables including serum calcium, albumin, hemoglobin, plasma glucose, creatinine, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (Model 2); and further adjustment for chronic disease presence, calf muscle area, muscle density, and physical activity level (Model 3). Analyses were also conducted using tertiles of serum magnesium concentration and in a subgroup restricted to participants with magnesium values within the normal laboratory reference range, to assess whether any observed associations were driven solely by frank deficiency.
About the Reviewer
Name & Title: Tamberlyn Blinsink, Scientific Researcher at Solaray
Credentials: Naturopathic Doctor, Master of Public Health
Bio: Tamberlyn Blinsink, ND, MPH, a licensed naturopath who earned her Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from Bastyr University and her Master of Public Health from Purdue University. In addition to her experience in private practice, Dr. Blinsink, ND, MPH is a researcher in the natural products industry. She believes in giving back and has served as a lecturer at continuing education conferences and as a board member at Naturopaths Without Borders and NC Association of Naturopathic Physicians.
References
Dominguez LJ, Barbagallo M, Lauretani F, Bandinelli S, Bos A, Corsi AM, Simonsick EM, Ferrucci L. Magnesium and muscle performance in older persons: the InCHIANTI study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Aug;84(2):419–426. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16895893/