Dietary Magnesium Intake Is Inversely Associated With Ulcerative Colitis: A Case-Control Study

Abstract

Background Ulcerative colitis (UC) causes long-lasting inflammation and ulcers in the gut. Limited observational data are available linking dietary magnesium intake and UC. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the association between dietary magnesium intake and UC in adults.Methods The current population-based case-control study was performed on 109 UC patients and 218 age (+/- 2 years) and sex-matched controls. The diagnosis of UC was made according to the standard criteria by a gastroenterology specialist. Dietary intakes were assessed using a validated self-administrated 106-item dish-based Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). We also used a pretested questionnaire to collect data on potential confounders.Results Individuals in the top tertile of magnesium intake were less likely to have UC compared with those in the bottom tertile. A significant inverse relationship was found between dietary magnesium intake and UC (odds ratio OR: 0.32, 95% confidence interval CI: 0.18-0.59) in the crude model. This relationship was also observed when we took several potential confounding into account (OR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.14-0.68).Conclusions Adherence to a magnesium-rich diet may have a role in preventing UC. However, further studies are needed to confirm our findings. In a case-control study of ulcerative colitis (UC) patients, results demonstrated individuals who consumed a high-content magnesium diet were less likely to have UC. Therefore, adherence to a magnesium-rich diet may have a role in the prevention of UC.