Effects of B vitamins and magnesium on fatigue, disease activity and quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease

This study investigated the efficacy of supplementation with B vitamins and magnesium in alleviating fatigue, improving disease activity, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) based on patient-reported outcomes. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 98 adults with IBD in remission were randomized (1:1) to receive daily supplementation with vitamins B₁, B₆, B₁₂, and magnesium or a matching placebo for 4 weeks. Outcomes were assessed using validated instruments, including the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Fatigue Scale (IBD-F), Patient-reported Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index (P-SCCAI), Simplified Crohn's Disease Activity Index (SCDAI), and the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ-9). Compared with placebo, the intervention produced greater reductions in ulcerative colitis (UC) activity measured by P-SCCAI (β = -1.32; p = 0.006) and fatigue assessed by IBD-F Section 1 (β = -1.98; p < 0.001) and Section 2 (β = - 5.19; p < 0.001). No significant between-group differences were observed for Crohn's disease activity (SCDAI; β = -3.93; p = 0.301) or HRQoL measured by IBDQ-9 (β = 1.21; p = 0.114). Supplementation with B vitamins and magnesium improved fatigue and symptom-based disease activity scores in UC; however, effects on underlying inflammatory activity remain uncertain.