Associations of the magnesium depletion score and magnesium intake with diabetes among US adults: an analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2018

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The magnesium depletion score (MDS) is considered more reliable than traditional approaches for predicting magnesium deficiency in humans. We explored the associations of MDS and dietary magnesium intake with diabetes. METHODS: We obtained data from 18,853 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2018. Using multivariate regression and stratified analysis, we investigated the relationships of both MDS and magnesium intake with diabetes. To compute prevalence ratios (PRs), we employed modified Poisson or log-binomial regression. We characterized the non-linear association between magnesium intake and diabetes using restricted cubic spline analysis. RESULTS: Participants with MDS ≥ 2 exhibited a PR of 1.26 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19 to 1.34) for diabetes. Per-standard deviation (SD) increase in dietary magnesium intake was associated with a lower prevalence of diabetes (PR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.87 to 0.96). Subgroup analyses revealed a positive association between MDS ≥ 2 and diabetes across all levels of dietary magnesium intake, including the lowest (PR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.18 to 1.55), middle (PR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.35), and highest tertiles (PR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.13 to 1.37; pinteraction < 0.001). Per-SD increase in magnesium intake was associated with lower diabetes prevalence in participants with MDS < 2 (PR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.87 to 0.98) and those with MDS ≥ 2 (PR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.84 to 0.98; pinteraction = 0.030). CONCLUSIONS: MDS is associated with diabetes, particularly among individuals with low magnesium intake. Adequate dietary magnesium intake may reduce diabetes risk, especially in those with high MDS.