Associations of Serum Ca and Mg Levels with Mental Health in Adult Women Without Psychiatric Disorders

Abstract

Several lines of evidence from previous studies suggest that Calcium (Ca) and Magnesium (Mg) may be involved in intracellular and interneuronal processes associated with affective disorders. However, there have been inconsistent results on the effect of Ca and Mg on depressive mood disorder. This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine whether serum Ca and Mg levels, as well as serum Ca/Mg ratio, are associated with mental health in relatively healthy, adult women without psychiatric disorders. One hundred and twelve adult women were recruited from the outpatient clinic in a university hospital setting. Serum Ca and Mg levels were measured and indicators of mental health such as depression, anxiety, and stress were evaluated using two validated questionnaires; the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale and the Modified Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument Stress Scale. After categorizing the serum Ca and Mg levels, and the Ca/Mg ratio into tertiles, the mean scores on each mental health scale were compared using analysis of covariance. The risk of depressive mood disorder according to the tertiles of serum Mg level and serum Ca/Mg ratio was assessed using logistic regression analysis. Women in the middle tertile of serum Ca/Mg ratio had significantly lower scores on depression and stress scales (p = 0.004 and p = 0.007, respectively) and a lower odds ratio (OR) for the risk of depressive mood disorder (OR = 0.31, CI(95%) 0.10-0.93) than those in the highest tertile. The OR for the risk of depressive mood disorder was higher in women in the lowest tertile of serum Mg than in those in the highest tertile (OR = 3.92, CI(95%) 1.11-13.83). Serum Mg level and serum Ca/Mg ratio may be involved in the mechanism for the progression of depressive mood or stress perception in relatively healthy, adult women.

Factores asociados a la desnutrición o al riesgo de desnutrición en adultos mayores de San Juan de Pasto, Colombia: Un estudio transversal

“…En el presente estudio se encontró que entre los adultos con presencia de desnutrición la mayoría tenían sintomatología depresiva. Una posible relación inversa puede explicar los resultados, donde un estado nutricional inadecuado, específicamente en la etapa de vejez, incrementa la vulnerabilidad ante enfermedades mentales como la depresión 32 . En este sentido, la literatura refiere que la presencia de riesgo nutricional en estadios avanzados de edad desencadena mayor sintomatología depresiva 33 .…”

Plasma magnesium levels and treatment outcome in depressed patients

“…14 Recently, relatively high levels of depressive mood, anxiety, and stress perception were found to be associated with lower levels of serum Mg in healthy adult women who had no history of psychiatric disorders. 15 The relationship of Mg levels with depression severity, specific psychopathological dimensions, and the therapeutic course of depression has also been investigated, though consistent results have not yet been obtained. Widmer et al 16,17 reported that plasma and erythrocyte Mg levels were higher in patients with mood disorders compared to normal subjects, both before and after treatment, and pointed out that this is a disease-specific manifestation.…”

“…18 An association between Mg and anhedonic features, which typically characterize major depression, has been suggested by a recent study in which Mg's (MgCl 2 0.2 mM/kg/day) influence on the reward system was tested using conditioned place preference in rats and Mg has been shown to moderately stimulate the reward system. 15 A relation between Mg and a therapeutic potential in affective disorders has been noted as early as 1921: hypodermically administered Mg sulphate caused 50 patients having agitated depression to relax and sleep from 4 to 6 hours. 19 In a randomized clinical trial, oral Mg supplementation was as effective as imipramine in treating depressed elderly patients.…”

A Tale of Two Bivalent Cations in Major Depressive disorder

“…They found that total plasma magnesium levels were lower among patients, but no difference in levels of ionized magnesium (12). Jung et al assessed serum magnesium levels in 112 healthy adult women without psychiatric disorders and observed that women in the lowest tertile of serum magnesium levels had a higher risk of developing depressive mood disorder (13).…”