(P29-043-23) Magnesium Intake and Risk of Frailty in Older Women

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the intake of total, dietary, and supplemental magnesium in association with the risk of frailty in a large population of older women.

Methods: We analyzed data from 81,524 women aged ≥60 participating in the Nurses’ Health Study. Total energy-adjusted magnesium intake was obtained from repeated food frequency questionnaires administered between 1984 and 2010. Frailty was defined as having at least three of the following five FRAIL scale criteria: fatigue, low strength, reduced aerobic capacity, having ≥5 chronic illnesses, and weight loss ≥5%. The occurrence of frailty was assessed every four years from 1992 to 2018.

Results: During a median follow-up of 16 years, we identified 15,477 incident cases of frailty. Women with a higher intake of total magnesium had a decreased risk of frailty after adjustment for lifestyle factors, medication use, and dietary factors. The relative risk (95% confidence interval) for quintile 5 vs. quintile 1 was 0.84 (0.73, 0.90); p-trend: < 0.001. When only magnesium from the diet was considered, the inverse association was stronger [Q5 vs. Q1: 0.65 (0.54, 0.79); p-trend: < 0.001], while magnesium from supplements was not significantly associated with risk of frailty [Q5 vs. Q1: 0.95 (0.89, 1.02); p-trend: 0.48]. Those reaching the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of magnesium through the diet had a 16% lower risk of frailty, compared to those not meeting the RDA, while those reaching the RDA with additional use of magnesium supplementation had a 5% lower risk of frailty compared to those not adhering to the RDA, although those meeting the RDA through diet alone had a 16% lower risk of frailty.

Conclusions: Total magnesium and dietary magnesium intake was associated with a lower risk of frailty. Supplemental magnesium intake might be beneficial only for those who struggle to reach an adequate intake.

Funding Sources: This work was supported by Instituto de Salud Carlos III through the FIS project 20/01040 (Instituto de Salud Carlos III, State Secretary of R+D+I), and grant UM1 CA186107 from National Institutes of Health. Ellen A. Struijk holds a Ramón y Cajal contract (RYC- 2021-031146-I) from the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and FEDER/FSE.