Magnesium Depletion Linked to Increased Overactive Bladder Risk

THURSDAY, Sept. 18, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Magnesium depletion is associated with an increased risk for overactive bladder (OAB), according to a study published online Sept. 1 in Scientific Reports.

Hege Bian, from Hefei BOE Hospital in China, and colleagues examined whether magnesium depletion is associated with OAB symptoms among U.S. adults. Data were included from 28,621 participants aged 20 to 80 years in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005 to 2018.

The researchers found that a higher magnesium depletion score (MgDS) was significantly associated with an increased risk for OAB, with 9 percent higher odds of OAB for each 1-point increase in MgDS in the fully adjusted model (odds ratio, 1.09). Individuals in the middle and high MgDS groups had significantly increased odds of OAB compared with the low MgDS group (odds ratios, 1.17 and 1.20, respectively). This association was particularly pronounced in women, nonsmokers, middle-aged adults (aged 40 to 60 years), and individuals with obesity.

“We found a significant association between MgDS and OAB in U.S. adults. This association remained robust after adjusting for multiple confounders, suggesting that magnesium depletion may contribute to OAB pathophysiology,” the authors write.

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