Effect of oral magnesium supplementation on measures of airway resistance and subjective assessment of asthma control and quality of life in men and women with mild to moderate asthma: a randomized placebo controlled trial.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual randomized controlled trial
PubMed 20100026 · doi:10.3109/02770900903331127
What was done
Fifty-five adults aged 21 to 55 years with mild-to-moderate asthma using only beta-agonists or inhaled corticosteroids were randomly assigned to receive either oral magnesium (340 mg/day; 170 mg twice daily) or placebo for 6.5 months. Measured outcomes included methacholine challenge testing, pulmonary function tests, Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ), Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ), inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, exhaled nitric oxide), and multiple markers of magnesium status (serum, erythrocyte, urine, dietary, ionized, and IV magnesium).
What was found
The concentration of methacholine required to cause a 20% drop in FEV1 increased significantly from baseline to month 6 within the magnesium group. Peak expiratory flow rate showed a 5.8% predicted improvement over time (P = 0.03) in the magnesium group. There were significant improvements in mean AQLQ score (P < 0.01) and overall ACQ score (P = 0.05) in the magnesium group after 6.5 months. There were no significant changes in any of the markers of magnesium status.
Why it matters
This study provides randomized trial evidence that prolonged oral magnesium supplementation may act as a helpful adjunctive therapy to reduce airway reactivity and improve symptoms in mild-to-moderate asthma.
Limits
The trial had a small sample size (n = 55) and did not report baseline or endpoint numerical values for the methacholine challenge, ACQ scores, or inflammatory markers in the abstract. Comparisons between groups were not fully detailed, and findings may not apply to patients with severe asthma or those on other medications.
Cited by
- supports Having adequate magnesium has been shown to improve asthma.