Dietary intake of calcium and magnesium and the metabolic syndrome in the National Health and Nutrition Examination (NHANES) 2001-2010 data.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional survey analysis (NHANES 2001-2010)
PubMed 26259506 · doi:10.1017/S0007114515002482
What was done
Researchers analyzed cross-sectional data from 9,148 adults (4,549 men and 4,599 women) participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2001 and 2010. Dietary intakes of calcium and magnesium were estimated using 24-hour dietary recalls to examine their independent and combined associations with metabolic syndrome, controlling for relevant demographic, anthropometric, nutrient, and biomarker variables.
What was found
The highest quartile of magnesium intake (>355 mg/d) compared with the lowest (<197 mg/d) was inversely associated with metabolic syndrome (OR 0.70; 95% CI 0.57, 0.86). Women meeting the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for both magnesium (310-320 mg/d) and calcium (1000-1200 mg/d) had the lowest odds of metabolic syndrome (OR 0.59; 95% CI 0.45, 0.76). In men, meeting the RDA for either or both minerals was not significantly associated with metabolic syndrome, but men in the highest intake quartiles for both magnesium (>=386 mg/d) and calcium (>=1224 mg/d) demonstrated reduced odds (OR 0.74; 95% CI 0.59, 0.93).
Why it matters
This study provides population-level evidence that combined adequate intake of calcium and magnesium is linked to lower metabolic syndrome prevalence, while suggesting that protective intake thresholds may differ by sex.
Limits
The cross-sectional design cannot establish temporality or causality. Dietary intake based on 24-hour recalls is susceptible to recall errors and day-to-day intake variation. Supplement use specifics and longitudinal metabolic outcomes were not evaluated in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for magnesium is approximately 320 mg per day for women and 420 mg per day for men.