Effects of magnesium supplements on blood pressure, endothelial function and metabolic parameters in healthy young men with a family history of metabolic syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Magnesium plays an important role in the modulation of vascular tone and endothelial function and can regulate glucose and lipid metabolism. Patients with hypertension, metabolic syndrome (MetS) and diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have low body magnesium content; indeed, magnesium supplementation has been shown to have a positive effect on blood pressure (BP) and gluco-metabolic parameters. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of magnesium supplements on hemodynamic and metabolic parameters in healthy men with a positive family history of MetS or T2DM. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 8-week crossover trial with a 4 week wash-out period, oral supplements of 8.1 mmol of magnesium-pidolate or placebo were administered twice a day to 14 healthy normomagnesemic participants, aged 23-33 years. The primary endpoint was office BP, measured with a semiautomatic oscillometric device. Secondary endpoints included characteristics of the MetS, namely endothelial function, arterial stiffness and inflammation. Plasma and urinary magnesium were measured in all participants while free intracellular magnesium was measured only in a subsample. There was no significant difference in either systolic and diastolic BP in participants post-magnesium supplementation and post-placebo treatment when compared to baseline BP measurements. Further, the metabolic, inflammatory and hemodynamic parameters did not vary significantly during the study. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed no beneficial effect of magnesium supplements on BP, vascular function and glycolipid profile in young men with a family history of MetS/T2DM (trial registration at clinicaltrial.gov ID: NCT01181830; 12th of Aug 2010).