Serum Magnesium is Inversely Associated with Body Composition and Metabolic Syndrome

Mediation effect of body mass index on the association between serum magnesium level and insulin resistance in children from Mexico City

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Reduced serum magnesium (Mg) levels have been associated with obesity, insulin resistance (IR), type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome in adults. However, in the children population, the evidence is still limited. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to analyze the association of serum Mg levels with the frequency of overweight and obesity and cardiometabolic traits in 189 schoolchildren (91 girls and 98 boys) between 6 and 12 years old from Mexico City.

SUBJECTS/METHODS

Anthropometrical data were collected and biochemical parameters were measured by enzymatic colorimetric assay. Serum Mg level was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index was used as a surrogate marker to evaluate IR.

RESULTS

Serum Mg level was negatively associated with overweight (Odds ratio [OR] = 0.377, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.231-0.614, p < 0.001) and obesity (OR = 0.345, 95% CI 0.202-0.589, p < 0.001). Serum Mg level resulted negatively associated with body mass index (BMI, β = -1.16 ± 0.26, p < 0.001), BMI z-score (β = -0.48 ± 0.10, p < 0.001) and TyG index (β = -0.04 ± 0.04, p = 0.041). Through a mediation analysis was estimated that BMI z-score accounts for 60.5% of the negative association of serum Mg level with IR (Sobel test: z = 2.761; p = 0.005).

CONCLUSION

Our results evidence that BMI z-score mediate part of the negative association of serum Mg level and IR in Mexican schoolchildren.

Association of serum magnesium with metabolic syndrome and the role of chronic kidney disease: A population-based cohort study with Mendelian randomization

OBJECTIVES

To assess the association of serum magnesium with prevalent and incident metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its individual components in the general population and to examine any effect modification by chronic kidney disease (CKD) status.

METHODS

We analysed longitudinal data from the population-based KORA F4/FF4 study, including 2996 participants (387 with CKD) for cross-sectional analysis and 1446 participants (88 with CKD) for longitudinal analysis. Associations with MetS, as well as single components of MetS, were assessed by adjusted regression models. Nonlinearity was tested by restricted cubic splines and analyses were stratified by CKD. Causality was evaluated by two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR).

RESULTS

Serum magnesium (1 SD) was inversely associated with prevalent MetS (odds ratio [OR] 0.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.83, 0.98). The association was more pronounced in individuals with CKD (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.59, 0.94). Among MetS components, serum magnesium was negatively associated with elevated fasting glucose (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.71, 0.88) and, again, this association was more pronounced in individuals with CKD (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.53, 0.84). Serum magnesium was not associated with incident MetS or its components. Restricted cubic spline analysis revealed a significant nonlinear inverse relationship of serum magnesium with MetS and elevated fasting glucose. MR analysis suggested an inverse causal effect of serum magnesium on MetS (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.85, 0.97).

CONCLUSION

Serum magnesium is associated with prevalent, but not incident MetS, and this effect is stronger in individuals with CKD. MR analysis implies a potential, albeit weak, causal role of magnesium in MetS.

A case-control study on asthma and obese patients: Influence of lifestyle patterns, serum trace elements, heavy metals, and total antioxidants

Background and aim

Asthma is a chronic airway hyperresponsiveness disorder and Obese people have greater rates of asthma incidence and prevalence. Obesity, a complex condition, can cause nutritional metabolic problems that change trace elements and minerals. Trace element and antioxidant levels affect asthma aetiology. In this study, we aim to determine the serum levels of trace elements Zn, Fe, Cu, Mg, Co, Ni, Pb, Cd, and Cr, total antioxidants (TAS), and lifestyle that determine specific clinical conditions in asthma and obesity patients from Vellore City (Tamil Nadu, India).

Methods

A case-control study to determine the level of the serum trace elements with 838 subjects (n = 242 asthma patients, n = 140 asthmatic obese, n = 185 obese patients, and n = 271 controls) between the ages of 20 and 60 years was carried out. Asthma was diagnosed based on the clinical examination and pulmonary function tests. Trace element levels were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) in serum, and a DPPH-free radical scavenging assay was used to determine the total antioxidant capacity level in serum.

Result

In asthma male patients, serum levels of Zn, Fe, Cu, Mg, and TAS were significantly lower and Pb, Cd, and Cr significantly higher, whereas in female asthma patients, serum levels of Zn, Fe, Mg, and TAS were significantly lower and Pb significantly higher. In asthmatic obese male patients, Fe, Cu, and TAS were significantly lower, and Pb, Cd, and Co were significantly higher; in asthmatic obese female patients, Zn, Fe, Cu, Mg, and TAS were significantly lower, and Ni was significantly higher. In obese male patients, Zn, Fe, Cu, and TAS were significantly lower and Cd was significantly higher, and in obese female patients, Zn, Fe, Cu, Mg, and TAS were significantly lower.

Conclusion

The influence of the level of trace elements, heavy metal, total antioxidant, and the lifestyle patterns, may increase the risk of asthma and obesity.

The Association Between Short Sleep Duration and Metabolic Syndrome: A Case-Control Study

Purpose

Short sleep duration and quality are increasingly common in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and has been linked to metabolic syndrome, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. This study aimed to examine the link between short sleep duration and metabolic syndrome.

Patients and Methods

We conducted a case-control study using data from Qatar Biobank, with 1000 participants categorized into two groups: less than 7 hours of sleep (n=500) and 7 or more hours of sleep (n=500). Metabolic syndrome was defined using WHO criteria, and logistic regression analysis adjusted for age and gender.

Results

There was a higher proportion of individuals with MetS in the short sleep duration group compared to the normal sleep duration group (22.8% vs 15.8%, respectively). The multivariable regression showed that short sleep duration was associated with metabolic syndrome (OR 1.91, 95% CI: 1.14-3.20, P=0.014) and having 1-2 components of metabolic syndrome (OR 1.91, 95% CI: 1.14-3.20, P=0.014), particularly in males (OR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.07-4.94, P=0.032). Being overweight (OR 2.17, 95% CI: 1.30-3.63, P=0.003) was also associated with a shorter sleep duration. BMI was identified as the main contributor to the association between short sleep duration and metabolic syndrome, while diabetes played a minor role.

Conclusion

Short sleep duration was associated with metabolic syndrome in Qatar, particularly in males.