Overactive Bladder? How’s Your Magnesium Depletion Score?

Overactive bladder (OAB) gets increasingly common after a certain age. This is often put down to “the body is getting older and weaker, so naturally the bladder is too, as are its associated muscles”.,

And while that’s true, it’s not exactly useful, is it? Happily, new science has shone a light on a previously underexamined consideration:

0Mg!

If you have zero magnesium (Mg) in your in body then well, you’re dead, because that’s an essential mineral.

But, low magnesium? That’s just normal. And by “normal” here we do mean in literal sense of: “it’s the statistical norm”, and without implication of “and that’s fine” (because it’s not).

A study looking at data from 28,621 participants aged 20–80 found that each each 1-point increase in magnesium depletion score (MgDS) was linked to 9% higher risk of OAB.

You may be wondering: how do I calculate my magnesium depletion score / do I need a blood test or something?

So, here’s how it’s calculated, step-by-step:

❝The MgDS is a validated clinical index designed to reflect chronic magnesium depletion risk by combining multiple clinical factors known to influence magnesium homeostasis. MgDS calculation includes the following step-by-step criteria:

(1) Diuretic use: Participants using diuretics scored 1 point; no diuretic use scored 0 points.
(2) PPI use: Participants using PPIs scored 1 point; non-users scored 0 points.
(3) Renal function assessment: Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) categories scored as follows: eGFR ≥ 90 mL/min/1.73 m² scored 0 points; eGFR ≥ 60 and < 90 mL/min/1.73 m² scored 1 point; eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m² scored 2 points.
(4) Alcohol consumption: Heavy alcohol use (defined as > 2 drinks/day for men and > 1 drink/day for women) scored 1 point; other consumption levels (never, former, mild, moderate) scored 0 points.❞

Or more simply, start with a score of zero, and then…

• Do you use diuretics? If so, add 1 point
• Do you use PPIs? If so, add 1 point
• How are your kidneys?
  • Great = add 0 points
  • Neither amazing nor terrible = add 1 point
  • Terrible = add 2 points
• Multiple units of alcohol per day? Add 1 point

If unsure how to guesstimate your kidney health, check out: Are your Kidneys Ok? Detect Early To Protect Kidney Health (Here’s How)

Now, in the bullet points above we’ve simplified the alcohol a bit (men typically have a little more wiggle-room there than women, but it’s not something that should be counted on, and as for the eGFR scores, we’ve gone for a “make an educated guess” analog in lieu of the lab test that’d be needed for that one. However, even a ±2 inaccuracy in your score due to guessing on that will still give you a general idea of which end of the scale you’re on, and it also means…

In practical terms:

• Do you use diuretics? If so, consider whether that’s best for you
• Do you use PPIs? If so, consider whether that’s best for you
• Are you neglecting your kidneys? If so, consider being more attentive to them
• Are you drinking regularly? If so, consider not doing that

Now, we are not the boss of you, and also some of those are things for conversations between you and your doctor (especially the first two).

But it does provide a good guideline for reference, and possible things to improve!

To read the paper in full, see: Association between magnesium depletion score and overactive bladder among U.S. Adults using data from NHANES 2005–2018

You can also, of course, regardless of your magnesium depletion score, enjoy magnesium-rich foods and/or take supplemental magnesium.

Note: this association does not prove causality. For example, it could be that OAB and MgDS are both caused by the same third thing, or it could be that the OAB causes the high MgDS. However, since most people are deficient in magnesium, supplementation is rarely a bad idea anyway.

So, with that in mind:

But: Which Magnesium? (And: When?) ← it makes a difference! Especially as the most widely-sold kind of magnesium (magnesium oxide, which is cheapest) is barely usable by the human body. The article we’ve just linked to discusses the pros and cons of alternatives magnesium glycinate, magnesium citrate, magnesium lactate, and magnesium gluconate. Choose wisely!

And if you’re relying on diet, do be aware of: Foods Linked To Urinary Incontinence In Middle-Age (& Foods That Avert It)

Want to do more?

Check out these previous articles of ours:

Pelvic Floor Exercises (Not Kegels!) To Prevent Urinary Incontinence

and

Keeping Your Kidneys Happy: It’s About More Than Just Hydration! ← important at all ages, but especially relevant after 60

Take care!