Relations of magnesium intake to cognitive impairment and dementia among participants in the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study: a prospective cohort study

BMJ Open. 2019 Nov 3;9(11):e030052. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-030052.

Abstract

Objective: To examine the associations of dietary and supplemental magnesium (Mg) as assessed by a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire with cognitive outcomes among ageing women.

Design: This work conducts a prospective cohort study of participants enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS), which was subsequently extended and named WHIMS-Epidemiology of Cognitive Health.

Setting: Forty clinical centres in the USA.

Participants: Postmenopausal women aged 65-79 years without dementia on enrolment.

Main outcome measures: Physician-adjudicated mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and/or probable dementia (PD).

Results: Participants were excluded (n=1006) if they had extreme values of dietary energy intake, had missing or extreme body mass index values, with prevalent MCI/PD at baseline, received only one cognitive assessment or had been followed up for <1 year. During >20 years of follow-up, 765 (11.8%) out of 6473 participants developed MCI/PD. For MCI/PD and MCI, the risks tended to be lower among participants in quintiles Q2-Q5 of Mg consumption compared with those in the lowest quintile. Participants in Q3 had a significantly lower risk of MCI/PD (HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.53 to 0.91) and MCI (HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.87) after multivariate adjustments. No significant association was observed between total Mg intake and PD. The association between total Mg intake, MCI/PD and MCI was non-linear as suggested by the likelihood test.

Conclusions: Total Mg intake between the estimated average requirement and the recommended dietary allowances may associate with a lower risk of MCI/PD and MCI.

Trial registration number: NCT00685009.

Keywords: dementia; epidemiology; nutrition & dietetics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / epidemiology*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Dementia / epidemiology*
  • Diet / methods*
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Magnesium / administration & dosage*
  • Memory
  • Postmenopause
  • Prospective Studies
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

Substances

  • Magnesium

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT00685009