Magnesium + B6 for Stress & Anxiety: Does it Work?

observational-study PMID: 33864354

Quick Summary: A study found that taking magnesium and vitamin B6 together helped reduce stress, anxiety, and improve quality of life in stressed adults with low magnesium levels. Magnesium alone also helped, but the combination seemed to work better.

Can Magnesium and Vitamin B6 Help With Stress?

Yes! This research looked at how magnesium and vitamin B6 affect mental health. The study showed that people with stress and low magnesium levels felt less stressed, less anxious, and had a better quality of life when they took both magnesium and vitamin B6.

Study Details

Who was studied: 264 adults who were stressed and had low levels of magnesium in their blood.

How long: The study lasted for 8 weeks.

What they took:

Group 1: Magnesium (300 mg) + Vitamin B6 (30 mg) daily
Group 2: Magnesium (300 mg) daily

What This Means For You

Feeling Stressed? If you're stressed and your doctor has found you have low magnesium, adding vitamin B6 to your magnesium supplement might help.

Talk to Your Doctor: Always talk to your doctor before starting any new supplements. They can check your magnesium levels and advise you on the right dosage.

Focus on the Combination: The study suggests the combination of magnesium and vitamin B6 is more effective than magnesium alone.

Quality of Life: Participants reported improvements in their overall well-being.

Study Limitations

Specific Group: This study only looked at people who were stressed and had low magnesium. It might not apply to everyone.

More Research Needed: This was a "post-hoc" analysis, meaning it wasn't the main focus of the original study. More research is needed to confirm these findings.

Short-Term: The study only lasted 8 weeks, so we don't know the long-term effects.

Self-Reported: Participants reported their stress and anxiety levels, which can sometimes be influenced by personal feelings.

No B6 Alone: The study didn't test vitamin B6 by itself, so we don't know its individual effects.

Key Findings

This post-hoc analysis of a Phase IV randomized controlled trial found that combining magnesium (300 mg/day) with vitamin B6 (30 mg/day) significantly improved stress, depression, anxiety, and quality of life (QoL) in stressed adults with low magnesemia compared to magnesium alone. The combination group showed a 24.8% greater reduction in stress scores (p=0.002), reduced depression (p=0.005) and anxiety (p=0.04), and larger QoL improvements (p<0.05). Magnesium alone also improved outcomes, but effect sizes were smaller.

Study Design

Type: Post-hoc secondary analysis of a Phase IV randomized controlled trial.
Population: 264 healthy adults with low serum magnesium (<0.9 mmol/L) and severe/extremely severe stress (DASS-42 stress subscale >18).
Duration: 8 weeks.
Randomization: Participants were randomized 1:1 to magnesium + vitamin B6 (n=132) or magnesium alone (n=132).
Outcomes Measured: Changes in DASS-42 scores (depression, anxiety, stress), SF-36 QoL assessments, and safety parameters.

Dosage & Administration

Magnesium + B6 Group: 300 mg magnesium (as pidolate) + 30 mg vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine hydrochloride) daily via effervescent tablets.
Magnesium-Only Group: 300 mg magnesium pidolate daily.
Administration: Once daily, dissolved in water, taken for 8 weeks.

Results & Efficacy

Stress Reduction: Combination therapy reduced DASS-42 stress scores by -14.3 ± 5.8 vs. magnesium alone (-11.5 ± 5.5), with a significant between-group difference (p=0.002, Cohen’s d=0.42).
Depression & Anxiety: Combination group showed greater reductions in depression (-6.4 ± 3.8 vs. -4.9 ± 3.6, p=0.005, d=0.38) and anxiety (-6.1 ± 3.9 vs. -4.8 ± 3.7, p=0.04, d=0.29).
Quality of Life: Both groups improved SF-36 physical and mental component scores, but the combination group had larger effect sizes (p<0.05).
Safety: No serious adverse events; mild gastrointestinal symptoms reported in 8% of participants.

Limitations

Post-hoc Analysis: Increased risk of Type I errors due to multiple comparisons; findings require validation in primary trials.
Population Specificity: Results apply only to adults with low magnesemia and severe stress; generalizability to other populations is unclear.
Short Duration: 8-week follow-up limits understanding of long-term efficacy/safety.
Subjective Measures: Depression and anxiety were self-reported via DASS-42, which may introduce bias.
No B6-Only Arm: Unable to isolate vitamin B6’s independent effects.

Clinical Relevance

For stressed adults with low magnesium levels, adding vitamin B6 (30 mg/day) to magnesium supplementation (300 mg/day) may enhance stress and anxiety relief. The combination’s moderate effect sizes (d=0.29–0.42) suggest practical benefits, though routine use should be guided by serum magnesium testing. Clinicians might consider this duo for patients with stress-related mental health symptoms, but further research is needed to confirm B6’s role in broader populations. Supplements were well-tolerated, aligning with safe use in short-term interventions.

Note: This study does not support supplementation for non-stressed individuals or those with normal magnesium levels. Always consult a healthcare provider before starting new regimens.