Researchers from Bastyr University in Seattle investigated the relationship between magnesium supplementation and asthmatic response. Previous research and epidemiological data revealed that low dietary magnesium levels may be related to incidence and progression of asthma. However it was unclear if oral supplementation improved asthmatic symptoms.
Researchers sought to determine if long-term treatment (i.e., 6.5 months) with oral supplementation of magnesium would improve asthma control and increase serum measures of magnesium in adults with mild to moderate asthma. The randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study involved 55 men and women between the ages of 21 to 55 years with mild to moderate asthma. All the participants involved in the study used either beta-agonists or inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) to control their asthma symptoms.
Subjects were randomly assigned to consume 340mg (170mg twice daily) of magnesium or a placebo for 6.5 months. Various measurements to record magnesium levels were used including serum, erythrocyte, urine, dietary, ionized and IV Mg. The markers of asthma control were the methacholine challenge test and the pulmonary function test. The subjects also completed subjective validated questionnaires on asthma control and quality of life.
The results of the study revealed that adults who received oral magnesium supplements showed improvement in objective physical measures of bronchial reactivity to methacholine, the compound used to elicit an asthmatic response in most studies. The magnesium group showed a 5.8% improvement in peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) compared to the placebo group. Additionally, those who received the magnesium required 20% more methacholine to induce bronchoconstriction to the same level as seen in the placebo group. There was also significant improvement in the subjective measures of asthma control and quality of life. The quality of life was only improved in those who took the magnesium; none was reported in the placebo group.
These two studies demonstrate how magnesium may effect two different and unrelated health issues, and highlights the importance of magnesium to human health. Magnesium is also critical to the skeleton and muscles. Approximately 60% of all the magnesium in the body is located in the bones, and approximately 20% located in the muscles.
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