The effect of magnesium on depression, sleep quality and quality of life among postmenopausal women: A randomized controlled clinical trial 2024

Abstract

Abstract Background: Menopause is a critical period in women's life, characterized by various challenging symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances or insomnia, mood disorders (depression and anxiety) and cognitive decline. Postmenopausal women are more susceptible to depression and sleep disorders than premenopausal women, and these symptoms can significantly impact their quality of life. Considering the increase in women`s life expectancy, it is estimated that they spend one-third of their lives in menopause. This study aimed to investigate the effect of magnesium supplementation on depression, sleep quality and quality of life in postmenopausal women. Methods: This randomized controlled clinical trial involved 82 postmenopausal women registered at health centers of Tabriz, Iran, in 2023. The participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention (n=41) or control (n=41) groups using block randomization. The intervention group received 90 magnesium tablets and control group received 90 placebo tablets for 12 weeks, with one tablet administered daily. Data was collected using the Beck depression inventory, Pittsburgh sleep quality index and MENQOL quality of life questionnaires. Independent t-tests and Mann-Whitney-U tests were utilized to compare the results between the two groups. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of demographic characteristics and baseline scores for depression, sleep quality and quality of life (p=0.05). Following the intervention, there was statistically significant difference between the two groups in the mean score of depression, The average score of depression in the magnesium group was significantly lower than the placebo group (p=0.015) but there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in the mean score of sleep quality (P=0.199) and quality of life in postmenopausal women (P=0.167). Conclusion: The findings suggest that magnesium supplementation did not lead to improvements in poor sleep quality or quality of life in postmenopausal women and the results indicated the positive effect of the magnesium tablet on depression and improvement in depression. However, further trials are necessary to establish definitive conclusions in this area. Trial registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT): IRCT20120718010324N75. Date of registration: 10 December 2022; URL: https://irct.behdasht.gov.ir/trial/65703; Date of first registration: 10 December 2022