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Associations Between Serum Magnesium Concentrations and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Status: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

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Abstract

Magnesium (Mg) is the second most frequent intracellular cation in humans with a critical role in insulin metabolism and glucoregulation. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) often present with insulin resistance and impaired glucoregulatory status; however, their Mg status remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate serum Mg concentration in women with PCOS and compare it with that of controls without PCOS. Online databases of PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and ISI Web of Science were searched for studies evaluating the relationship between Mg concentrations and PCOS status until October 2019. Pooled weighted mean differences (WMDs) of serum Mg levels were calculated using random effects models. A total of eight studies (10 arms; n = 2026 women) were included. Pooled effect sizes, expressed as WMD and 95% CI, revealed decreased serum Mg concentrations in women with PCOS compared with controls (− 0.09 (− 0.17, − 0.02) mmol/L; P = 0.01). However, significant heterogeneity was detected across the studies (I 2 = 98.0%, P < 0.001). Despite the classification of studies based on baseline BMI classes, we did not detect the potential source of the observed heterogeneity. Subgroup analysis showed that overweight and obese women (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2, 0.07 mmol/L (− 0.14, − 0.01); P = 0.02) with PCOS had lower magnesium concentrations than normal women (BMI < 25 kg/m2, − 0.11 (− 0.25, 0.04) mmol/L; P = 0.14) compared with the control group. Serum Mg concentrations appear to be declined in overweight or obese women with PCOS, which may warrant screening and management of Mg status in this clinical population. High-quality studies are needed to elucidate the relationship between Mg concentrations and the development of PCOS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Student Research Committee, Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Science, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Maedeh Babapour & Mahsa Rezazadegan

  2. Food Security Research Center and Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Science, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, PO Box 81745, Isfahan, Iran

    Hamed Mohammadi & Gholamreza Askari

  3. Division of Nutritional Sciences, Human Metabolic Research Unit, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA

    Maryam Kazemi

  4. Halal Research Center of IRI, FDA, Tehran, Iran

    Amir Hadi

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  1. Maedeh Babapour
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  2. Hamed Mohammadi
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  3. Maryam Kazemi
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  4. Amir Hadi
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HM and MB contributed to the conception of research. HM and MB searched databases, screened articles, and extracted data. HM performed the statistical analyses, and all authors contributed to the writing and revision of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Gholamreza Askari.

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Babapour, M., Mohammadi, H., Kazemi, M. et al. Associations Between Serum Magnesium Concentrations and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Status: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Biol Trace Elem Res 199, 1297–1305 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-020-02275-9

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