Higher Intake of Dietary Magnesium Is Inversely Associated With COVID-19 Severity and Symptoms in Hospitalized Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background and AimsMagnesium is an anti-inflammatory mineral that plays a role in the innate immune system, and the relaxation of bronchial smooth muscle warrants additional attention in COVID-19. This study examined the association between magnesium intake and COVID-19 severity and related symptoms in hospitalized patients.MethodsA cross-sectional study was done enrolling 250 COVID-19 patients aged 18 to 65 years. A validated 168-item online food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to assess dietary magnesium intake. COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines were used to determine COVID-19 severity, and symptoms were evaluated using a standard questionnaire. Crude and adjusted analyses were performed (Model 1: age, sex, and energy intake; Model 2: Model 1 + physical activity, supplements, corticosteroids, and antiviral drugs; Model 3: Model 2 + body mass index).ResultsThe mean age of participants was 44.1 ± 12.1 years, and 46% of them had severe COVID-19. Patients at the highest tertile of dietary magnesium intake had lower serum levels of inflammatory biomarkers, including CRP (11.8 ± 2.2 vs. 29.5 ± 2.1 mg/L, p < 0.001) and ESR (15.8 ± 2.4 vs. 34.7 ± 2.4 mm/hr, p < 0.001), than those at the lowest tertile. After controlling for potential confounders, we observed that a higher dietary magnesium intake was associated with a lower odds of severe COVID-19 (OR: 0.32; 95% CI: 0.15–0.70). Also, we found a significant inverse association between dietary magnesium intake and odds of COVID-19 symptoms.ConclusionWe found that higher intake of dietary magnesium was inversely associated with COVID-19 severity and symptoms.

Metallomic analysis of urine from individuals with and without Covid-19 infection reveals extensive alterations in metal homeostasis

“…A study encompassing 250 Covid-19 patients aged 18 to 65 reported that individuals with an average age of 44 years experienced severe Covid-19, and these same patients exhibited low magnesium levels. The study further highlighted that increased dietary intake of magnesium correlated with a reduced likelihood of severe Covid-19 [45]. Conversely, the ndings of a recent study demonstrated that there is no substantial alteration in serum Mg levels between control subjects and Covid-19 cases [27].…”

Maternal and neonatal outcomes following magnesium sulfate in the setting of chorioamnionitis: a meta-analysis

“…Similar findings have been shown in elderly patients that consume diets with low magnesium levels [ 32 ]. One could, therefore, speculate that magnesium intake might attenuate the severity of infectious diseases and this has been indeed proved in the clinical setting [ 30 , 33 , 34 ]. To date, unfortunately, in the field of obstetrics and particularly in cases with preterm premature rupture of the membranes, the beneficial effect of magnesium sulfate remains speculative as there is no evidence to support the pathophysiology behind this association.…”

The Significance of Low Magnesium Levels in COVID-19 Patients

“…Furthermore, there have been studies showing that patients with hypomagnesemia are most frequently hospitalized [ 89 , 115 , 117 , 119 , 120 , 121 ], and there have also been reports refs.~[ 57 , 116 , 120 , 122 , 123 ] of lower magnesium levels in severe cases of COVID-19 compared to less severe cases.…”