title: Long-term magnesium supplementation improves arterial stiffness in overweight and obese adults: results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidemiologic studies have suggested a protective effect of magnesium intake on cardiovascular disease risk. However, intervention trials of magnesium supplementation on blood pressure and conventional cardiometabolic risk markers are inconsistent. Effects on vascular function markers related to cardiovascular disease risk have rarely been studied.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to evaluate the effects of long-term magnesium supplementation on arterial stiffness.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a 24-wk, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention study. Fifty-two overweight and slightly obese individuals (30 men and 22 postmenopausal women, mean ± SD age: 62 ± 6 y) were randomly allocated to receive either 3 times daily magnesium (3 × 117 mg or 350 mg/d) or placebo capsules. Twenty-four-hour urine collections and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure assessments were performed at the start and end of the study. Carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWVc-f) was assessed at baseline, after 12 wk, and at week 24.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum magnesium concentrations did not differ after 12 wk but tended to increase after 24-wk magnesium supplementation compared with placebo by 0.02 mmol/L (95% CI: 0.00, 0.04 mmol/L; P = 0.09). Twenty-four-hour urinary magnesium excretion increased by 2.01 mmol (95% CI: 1.22, 2.93 mmol; P < 0.001) at week 24. PWVc-f was not changed after 12 wk (0.0 m/s; 95% CI: -0.6, 0.5 m/s; P = 0.90) but was improved in the magnesium compared with the placebo group by 1.0 m/s (95% CI: 0.4, 1.6 m/s; P = 0.001) after 24 wk. Office and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure levels were not changed. No adverse events were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicate that a daily magnesium supplement of 350 mg for 24 wk in overweight and obese adults reduces arterial stiffness, as estimated by a decrease in PWVc-f, suggesting a potential mechanism by which an increased dietary magnesium intake beneficially affects cardiovascular health. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02235805.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Biology, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, Netherlands; Top Institute of Food and Nutrition, Wageningen, Netherlands; and p.joris@maastrichtuniversity.nl.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Joris
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Biology, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, Netherlands;
authors.forename: Jogchum
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Plat
authors.affiliation: Top Institute of Food and Nutrition, Wageningen, Netherlands; and Department of Internal Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Stephan Jl
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Bakker
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Biology, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, Netherlands; Top Institute of Food and Nutrition, Wageningen, Netherlands; and.
authors.forename: Ronald P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Mensink
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000503:physiopathology*; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000187:drug effects*; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D003404:Creatinine; D008274:Magnesium
keywords: arterial stiffness; blood pressure; intervention study; magnesium; pulse wave velocity