The effects of magnesium and vitamin E co‐supplementation on wound healing and metabolic status in patients with diabetic foot ulcer: A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial

• Published in: Wound repair and regeneration Vol. 27; no. 3; pp. 277 - 284
• Main Authors: Afzali, Hassan, Jafari Kashi, Amir Hosein, Momen‐Heravi, Mansooreh, Razzaghi, Reza, Amirani, Elaheh, Bahmani, Fereshteh, Gilasi, Hamid Reza, Asemi, Zatollah
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, USA John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.05.2019
• ISSN: 1067-1927; 1524-475X
• DOI: 10.1111/wrr.12701

This study was carried out to determine the effects of magnesium and vitamin E co‐supplementation on wound healing and metabolic status in patients with diabetic foot ulcer (DFU). The current randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial was conducted among 57 patients with grade 3 DFU. Participants were randomly divided into two groups to take either 250 mg magnesium oxide plus 400 IU vitamin E (n = 29) or placebo per day (n = 28) for 12 weeks. Compared with the placebo, taking magnesium plus vitamin E supplements reduced ulcer length (β [difference in the mean of outcomes measures between treatment groups] −0.56 cm; 95% CI, −0.92, −0.20; p = 0.003), width (β −0.35 cm; 95% CI, −0.64, −0.05; p = 0.02) and depth (β −0.18 cm; 95% CI, −0.33, −0.02; p = 0.02). In addition, co‐supplementation led to a significant reduction in fasting plasma glucose (β −13.41 mg/dL; 95% CI, −20.96, −5.86; p = 0.001), insulin (β −1.45 μIU/ml; 95% CI, −2.37, −0.52; p = 0.003), insulin resistance (β −0.60; 95% CI, −0.99, −0.20; p = 0.003) and HbA1c (β −0.32%; 95% CI, −0.48, −0.16; p < 0.003), and a significant elevation in insulin sensitivity (β 0.007; 95% CI, 0.003, 0.01; p < 0.001) compared with the placebo. Additionally, compared with the placebo, taking magnesium plus vitamin E supplements decreased triglycerides (β −10.08 mg/dL; 95% CI, −19.70, −0.46; p = 0.04), LDL‐cholesterol (β −5.88 mg/dL; 95% CI, −11.42, −0.34; p = 0.03), high sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP) (β −3.42 mg/L; 95% CI, −4.44, −2.41; p < 0.001) and malondialdehyde (MDA) (β −0.30 μmol/L; 95% CI, −0.45, −0.15; p < 0.001), and increased HDL‐cholesterol (β 2.62 mg/dL; 95% CI, 0.60, 4.63; p = 0.01) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels (β 53.61 mmol/L; 95% CI, 4.65, 102.57; p = 0.03). Overall, magnesium and vitamin E co‐supplementation for 12 weeks to patients with DFU had beneficial effects on ulcer size, glycemic control, triglycerides, LDL‐ and HDL‐cholesterol, hs‐CRP, TAC, and MDA levels.