Relation between magnesium and calcium and parameters of pain, quality of life and depression in women with fibromyalgia

Abstract

Objective: Determine food intake and levels of serum magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) and correlate these minerals with pain, quality of life and depression risk in women with and without fibromyalgia (FM). Patients and methods: Fifty-three women diagnosed with FM and 50 healthy women participated in the study, where all of them had equivalent age and body mass index (BMI). All women underwent anthropometric assessment, physical exams of pain perception threshold and tender point (TP) count, blood sample collection, and filling out of FM impact questionnaire (FIQ), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and 3-day dietary record (DR). Results: Dietary intake of Mg and Ca was substantially lower by women with FM. There were no differences in levels of serum Mg and Ca in the groups under analysis. For the FM group, dietary intake of Mg and Ca had inverse correlation with TP and direct relation with the pain threshold. Conclusions: Although women with FM had lower dietary intake of Mg and Ca, serum levels for these nutrients were not different between the groups. Low dietary intake of minerals correlated with worsened pain threshold parameters.