Magnesium Intake and Sleep Disorder Symptoms: Findings from the Jiangsu Nutrition Study of Chinese Adults at Five-Year Follow-Up

• Published in: Nutrients 2018-09, Vol.10 (10), p.1354
• Main Authors: Cao, Yingting, Zhen, Shiqi, Taylor, Anne W, Appleton, Sarah, Atlantis, Evan, Shi, Zumin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; China; Chinese adults; daytime falling asleep; dietary magnesium; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Magnesium - administration & dosage; Magnesium - pharmacology; Magnesium - therapeutic use; Male; Middle Aged; Nutritional Status; Odds Ratio; Sleep - drug effects; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders - complications; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders - diet therapy; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders - drug therapy; Sleep Wake Disorders - diet therapy; Sleep Wake Disorders - drug therapy; Snoring; Surveys and Questionnaires; Trace Elements - administration & dosage; Trace Elements - pharmacology; Trace Elements - therapeutic use; Wakefulness - drug effects; Young Adult
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu10101354

(1) Background: In clinical trials, dietary magnesium use can improve insomnia symptoms. However, little is known about the association between dietary magnesium consumption and sleep disorder symptoms including daytime falling asleep, sleepiness and snoring at the population level. (2) Methods: We used data from 1487 adults aged 20 and above attending the Jiangsu Nutrition Study. At baseline in 2002, dietary magnesium was assessed by 3-day weighed food records. At follow-up in 2007, sleep disorder symptoms, including daytime falling asleep, sleepiness and snoring at night, were gathered using a sleep questionnaire. (3) Results: The mean intake of magnesium was 332.5 mg/day. In total, 5.3%, 13.2% and 35.7% of the subjects reported daytime falling asleep, daytime sleepiness, and snoring during sleep, respectively. Compared with the lowest quartile of magnesium intake, the highest quartile was associated with decreased likelihood of falling asleep (odds ratio (OR) 0.12 (0.02, 0.57)) in women but not in men after adjusting for demographic, anthropometric, lifestyle factors, hypertension, and overall dietary patterns. No associations were found between dietary magnesium intake and daytime sleepiness nor night snoring in either gender. (4) Conclusions: Dietary magnesium intake may have long-term benefits in reducing the likelihood of daytime falling asleep in women.