Nutritional and herbal supplements for anxiety and anxiety-related disorders: systematic review

Nutrition Journal

Table 6 Trials testing magnesium

Reference	Study Design	Sample Population	Intervention	Control	Length of Treatment	Outcomes	Direction of Evidence	Reported Adverse Events
Carroll (2000) [75]	Randomized; Double-blind; Parallel Group	80 healthy males	Berocca: oral multivitamin¹	Placebo	28 days	Multivitamin treatment significantly reduced anxiety as measured by GHQ-28, HADS and PSS.	+	Not reported
De Souza (2000) [76]	Randomized; Double-blind; Crossover (4)	44 women with adverse premenstrual symptoms but otherwise in good health	(1) 200 mg Mg, (2) 50 mg vitamin B₆, (3) 200 mg Mg + 50 mg vitamin B₆ per day	Placebo	One menstrual cycle	200 mg/day Mg + 50 mg/day vitamin B₆ significantly reduced anxiety-related premenstrual symptoms	+	Participants were not specifically asked, but none were reported spontaneously
Hanus (2004) [77]	Randomized; Double-blind; Parallel Group	264 patients with generalized anxiety (DSM-III-R) of mild-to-moderate intensity²	Sympathyl: extracts of crataegus oxyacantha and eschscholtzia californica plus magnesium	Placebo	3 months	Significant clinical improvement in anxiety³ in favour of the combination treatment	+	No serious AEs related to treatment⁴

GHQ-28: General Health Questionnaire; HADS: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; PSS: Perceived Stress Scale; DMS-II-R: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, third edition revised; HAMA: Hamilton Anxiety Scale; HAMA-SOM: Hamilton Anxiety Scale, subscore somatic anxiety; HAMA-T: Hamilton Anxiety Scale, total score (HAMA-T
1. Multivitamin containing vitamin B1 (15 mg), B2 (15 mg), niacin (50 mg), pantothenic acid (23 mg), B6 (10 mg), biotin (150 mcg), folic acid (400 mcg), B12 (10 mcg), C (500 mg), calcium (100 mg), magnesium (100 mg), zinc (10 mg).
2. Total HAMA score between 16 and 28.
3. Measured by HAMA-T and HAMA-SOM and subjective patient-rated anxiety.
Headache, muscular stiffness, insomnia, drowsiness, indifference, anxiety, palpitations, nausea (4), gastralgia, diarrhea, gastric heaviness, dysuria, colic renal pain, morning sluggishness (3), asthenia.

ISSN: 1475-2891