Association Between Dietary Magnesium Intake with Serum Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Adropin Levels and Metabolic Health Status in Iranian Adults

Abstract

Given the sparse conclusive findings regarding the association of magnesium intake with metabolic health status and limited evidence relating magnesium intake to metabolic biomarkers, our objective was to evaluate the association of metabolic health status, adropin, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in relation to dietary magnesium intake. In this cross-sectional study, 527 male and female adults were investigated in Isfahan City. The data regarding usual dietary intakes were gathered using a valid and reliable 168-item food frequency questionnaire. Biochemical variables, anthropometric indices, and blood pressure were assessed following standard methods. The criteria suggested by Wildman et al. were used to classify participants as metabolically unhealthy (MU) and metabolically healthy (MH). Moderate magnesium intake was associated with 71 reduced odds of MU (OR T2 vs. T1 = 0.29; 95 CI: 0.12-0.70). In the stratified analysis, the inverse association between moderate intake of magnesium and MU was seen only in overweight/obese subjects but not in normal-weight ones. A significant difference was found in serum levels of adropin between the first and second tertile of dietary magnesium intake among overweight/obese subjects (62.74 +/- 4.99 vs. 50.13 +/- 2.54, P = 0.03). After adjustment for potential covariates, this association became attenuated (59.06 +/- 3.47 vs. 50.02 +/- 3.64, P = 0.20). No statistically significant link was obtained between dietary intake of magnesium and circulating BDNF levels. Moderate dietary intake of magnesium may exert beneficial effects on metabolic health and serum levels of adropin, especially in obese/overweight individuals. Further prospective studies will be required to approve our findings.