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Impact of dietary magnesium intake on depression risk in American adults: a cross-sectional study of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–2020
One of the biggest mental health issues affecting individuals across the world is depression. Previous studies have suggested a connection between magnesium intake and depression, though the precise dose-response relationship remains unclear. The goal of this study by Huang et al. (2025) is to look at the connection between adult Americans’ risk of depression and their dietary magnesium consumption. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2005–2020) were analyzed, and depression was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), while magnesium intake was evaluated using two 24-hour meal recalls. In the study sample of 35,252 participants (mean age: 49.5 ± 17.6 years; 49.9% women), a nonlinear relationship was observed between dietary magnesium intake and depression, where intake below 366.7 mg/day was found to slightly lower the risk of depression. However, intake beyond this level was not found to significantly impact depression risk. In individuals aged 60 years or older, the authors found that magnesium intake of ≥270.7 mg/day increased depression risk by 0.1% per 1 mg/day increase. The study showed that the risk of depression in American people is correlated with dietary magnesium consumption in a dose-response manner. Age plays a significant role in this association, indicating that dietary guidelines should be adjusted according to different age groups. [NPID: Depression, magnesium, mental health, cross-sectional study, nonlinear]
Year: 2025
