Gender and Age Differences in the Association between Depressive Symptoms and Dietary Magnesium Intake in Korean Adults Based on the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(2016, 2018, 2020)

Several studies have assessed the relationship between magnesium intake and depressive symptoms, yielding inconsistent results. Remarkably, no studies on this topic have been reported in Korea until now. To address this gap, our research, encompassing 13,026 Korean adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys of 2016, 2018, and 2020, delved into this association. Using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), In this study, individuals with PHQ-9 scores of 10 or higher were classified as having depression, and their daily magnesium intake was categorized into four distinct groups, ranging from 200mg to 400mg or more. The results of the study indicated a trend where higher daily magnesium intake was associated with a reduced risk of depressive symptoms. Interestingly, this trend persisted even after adjusting for potential confounding factors, although it weakened when the daily magnesium intake exceeded 400mg. In men, an inverse association between magnesium intake and depression risk was observed only at intakes between 300mg and 400mg, with an odds ratio of 0.45 (0.27-0.75). In contrast, for women, a significant association was observed at intakes between 200mg and 300mg. Among age groups, a significant association was identified in individuals aged 40-64 years, with an odds ratio of 0.56 (0.36-0.88). No significant association was found between magnesium intake and depression among those aged 19-39 years, while the association weakened at intakes of 300mg and 400mg in individuals aged 65 years and older. In conclusion, this national-level study demonstrated a trend in Korea where higher magnesium intake was associated with a reduced risk of depression. However, further comprehensive research is warranted to clarify this relationship in more detail.