While magnesium (Mg) plays a well documented role in a person’s diet, this crucial nutrient can also play a part in our vascular health, which directly impacts our risk of developing retinal vein occlusion (RVO). As the links between RVO and magnesium have not been previously explored in detail, a team of Korean researchers have sought to better understand the association, and how increased magnesium intake could potentially improve a person's retinal health.
“Sufficient Magnesium Intake Reduces Retinal Vein Occlusion Risk: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Analysis” examined 16,358 participants of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey undertaken between 2017-2021. The RVO cases in this sample were relatively small – only 118 participants were allocated to the RVO group, with 99 being diagnosed via fundus photography and 19 others self-reporting RVO.
In comparison with their non-RVO counterparts, RVO patients comprised older individuals, those with chronic kidney disease, hypertension and glaucoma, and those who generally had a lower daily intake of vitamin E, iron, calcium, and magnesium. Notably, sufficient magnesium intake – classed as ≥300 mg for men and ≥400 mg for women – was associated with a 64 percent reduction in RVO risk. This association seemed particularly significant in patients who didn’t have glaucoma but did have hypertension, and those aged between 19-56, the authors observed.
While the sample is small, the authors say their findings point to the potential benefits of magnesium supplementation for reducing the risk of RVO. They recommend that future prospective studies “confirm the protective effect of Mg against RVO and explore its underlying mechanisms.”
