The aims of this study were to investigate the relationship between
magnesium levels and
fibromyalgia symptoms and to determine the effect of
magnesium citrate treatment on these symptoms. Sixty premenopausal women diagnosed with
fibromyalgia according to the ACR criteria and 20 healthy women whose age and weight matched the premenopausal women were evaluated.
Pain intensity, pain threshold, the number of tender points, the tender point index, the
fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ), the Beck depression and Beck anxiety scores and patient symptoms were evaluated in all the women. Serum and erythrocyte
magnesium levels were also measured. The patients were divided into three groups. The
magnesium citrate (300 mg/day) was given to the first group (n = 20),
amitriptyline (10 mg/day) was given to the second group (n = 20), and
magnesium citrate (300 mg/day) +
amitriptyline (10 mg/day) treatment was given to the third group (n = 20). All parameters were reevaluated after the 8 weeks of treatment. The serum and erythrocyte
magnesium levels were significantly lower in patients with
fibromyalgia than in the controls. Also there was a negative correlation between the
magnesium levels and
fibromyalgia symptoms. The number of tender points, tender point index, FIQ and Beck depression scores decreased significantly with the
magnesium citrate treatment. The combined
amitriptyline +
magnesium citrate treatment proved effective on all parameters except
numbness. Low
magnesium levels in the erythrocyte might be an etiologic factor on
fibromyalgia symptoms. The
magnesium citrate treatment was only effective tender points and the intensity of
fibromyalgia. However, it was effective on all parameters when used in combination with
amitriptyline.