Impact of magnesium supplementation, in combination with vitamin B6, on stress and magnesium status: secondary data from a randomized controlled trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to investigate whether combining vitamin B6 with magnesium enhances stress reduction and improves erythrocyte magnesium levels in severely stressed subjects with low magnesium status.
Results Summary
Vitamin B6 supplementation significantly increased circulating vitamin B6 levels but did not further enhance erythrocyte magnesium levels beyond magnesium supplementation alone. The combination showed a significant increase in erythrocyte magnesium in subjects with low baseline levels.
Population
Severely stressed subjects with low magnesemia (baseline erythrocyte magnesium <1.6 mmol/L).
Effective Dosage
30 mg vitamin B6 daily (combined with 300 mg magnesium).
Duration
8 weeks
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
magnesium supplementation | decrease | stress | severely stressed subjects with low magnesemia | - | significantly reduced | #1 |
additional vitamin B6 | decrease | stress reduction | severely stressed subjects with low magnesemia | - | enhanced this effect | #2 |
magnesium and vitamin B6 supplementation | increase | erythrocyte magnesium levels | subjects with low baseline erythrocyte magnesium levels (<1.6 mmol/L) | week 4:0.21 mmol/L [95% CI, 0.10 to 0.31], p = 0.0003; and 0.13 mmol/L [95% CI, 0.02 to 0.23], p = 0.0233 | significant increase over time | #3 |
magnesium-vitamin B6 supplementation | increase | circulating vitamin B6 levels | magnesium-vitamin B6 supplemented group | 314.96 nmol/L [95%CI, 294.61 to 335.31] | significantly different | #4 |
magnesium supplementation | no change | circulating vitamin B6 levels | magnesium supplemented group | -0.39 nmol/L [95% CI, -20.73 to 19.94] | significantly different | #5 |
magnesium alone | increase | erythrocyte magnesium | subjects with low magnesium status (<1.6mmol/L) | - | statistically significant increases | #6 |
magnesium-vitamin B6 | increase | erythrocyte magnesium | subjects with low magnesium status (<1.6mmol/L) | - | statistically significant increases | #7 |
Vitamin B6 supplementation | no change | magnesium levels | - | - | did not further increase | #8 |
Primary findings from a recent study reported that magnesium supplementation significantly reduced stress in severely stressed subjects with low magnesemia, and additional vitamin B6 enhanced this effect. The mechanism by which combining magnesium and vitamin B6 leads to reduced stress in these subjects remains to be elucidated. This secondary analysis investigated the impact of magnesium and vitamin B6 supplementation and perceived stress on erythrocyte magnesium levels, as a marker of body magnesium status. This was a secondary analysis from an 8-week randomized controlled trial comparing oral magnesium (300 mg) and magnesium-vitamin B6 (300 mg + 30 mg) supplementation. Stress level and erythrocyte magnesium level at baseline, and change in erythrocyte magnesium and serum vitamin B6 levels at weeks 4 and 8, were analyzed. Overall, 264 subjects were randomized to treatment and had evaluable Depression Anxiety Stress Scale scores (132 in each treatment arm). At baseline, stress scores, and mean serum magnesium, erythrocyte magnesium, and serum vitamin B6 concentrations were similar between arms. Although not significant between groups, a significant increase over time in erythrocyte magnesium levels was observed in the subgroup of subjects with low baseline erythrocyte magnesium levels (<1.6 mmol/L) following treatment with magnesium and magnesium-vitamin B6 (week 4:0.21 mmol/L [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.10 to 0.31], p = 0.0003; and 0.13 mmol/L [95% CI, 0.02 to 0.23], p = 0.0233, respectively). Change from baseline in circulating vitamin B6 levels at weeks 4 and 8 in the magnesium-vitamin B6 supplemented group (314.96 nmol/L [95%CI, 294.61 to 335.31]) was significantly different (p < 0.0001) compared with the magnesium supplemented group (-0.39 nmol/L [95% CI, -20.73 to 19.94]). Magnesium alone and magnesium-vitamin B6 provided statistically significant increases in erythrocyte magnesium in subjects with low magnesium status (<1.6mmol/L). Vitamin B6 supplementation did not further increase magnesium levels.