Diabetes and Magnesium

. . . Newsflash - December 21, 2010 . . .

Research on Diabetes and Magnesium

There has been some positive results about diabetes and magnesium, from research which has been carried out in the USA and Sweden.

The Health Sciences Institute reports (on December 21 2010) on a new breakthrough in the fight against Diabetes 2.

The report suggests that supplementing your diet by 500 milimoles of magnesium or ensuring that you get enough magnesium in your diet can protect against type 2 diabetes

The statistics of diabetes spread is staggering. According to the report:

• 18 million cases are diagnosed each year
• More than 1.5 million new cases diagnosed each year
• Nearly six million are undiagnosed
• 57 million at high risk (pre-diabetic)
• One of every four over the age of 60 diagnosed

Good News about Diabetes and Magnesium

The good news, according to this report is that getting enough magnesium, either by making sure that your diet includes plenty of avocados, leafy green vegetables, nuts, and whole grains, or by taking supplements, can protect you from this diagnosis or help you beat the disease should you already have it.

Magnesium relaxes heart muscles, reduces blood pressure, helps control homocysteine, promotes bone health, reduces risk of cognitive decline, plays a key role in DNA production, and helps maintain normal insulin levels, according to the report.

The role which magnesium plays in DNA production has stimulated a lot of research into its benefits.

The Institute reports on the latest research by the University of North Carolina where it was found that increasing magnesium intake by at least 200 my per 1,000 calories consumed cut diabetes risk by half and lowered insulin resistance an inflammation markers.


The Institute said that other promising magnesium studies were undertaken by the Brigham and Women's Hospital, where it was found that taking magnesium lowered the risk of developing metabolic syndrome by thirty percent and the Northwestern University, where researchers came to similar conclusions.

The Institute also reports on the review undertaken by Sweden’s Karolinska Institute of seven large studies similar to those in the US, where six of the studies also found a significant association between high magnesium intake and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.

Whether coming from dietary sources or from supplements the average drop in the risk of developing diabetes dropped by 15 percent for every 100 mg of magnesium consumed.

Magnesium Deficiency

Magnesium balance, like that of other ions, is a function of intake and excretion. The average daily magnesium intake is 360 mg (15 mmol).

In the healthy adult, there is no net gain or loss of magnesium from bone so that balance is achieved by urinary excretion.

According to the Health Sciences Institute it is easy to become deficient in magnesium as a variety of factors including menstruation and high stress levels can deplete the magnesium in your body. The Institute reports that excessive starch intake and overindulgence in alcohol as well as the use of diuretics and some prescription drugs, including antibiotics, can increase urinary excretion of magnesium. 



A normal range of magnesium is between .66 and 1.23 millimoles per litre of blood. If a blood test shows your magnesium level is low, the Institute recommends taking 500 mg of magnesium per day, with the added note that magnesium gluconate and chelated magnesium are the preferred supplement forms. 



But the best advice is to add leafy green vegetables, avocados, nuts, and whole grains to your daily in order to strengthen your body’s defenses against type 2 diabetes. 

If you already have diabetes, magnesium is a must to help care for your heart health.

This advice on diabetes and magnesium will help you improve your health, strengthen your immune system and avoid this age-related disease and slow down the aging process.

(Sources: Health Science Institute News LetterThe website uptodate.com"Magnesium Intake in Relation to Systemic Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, and the Incidence of Diabetes" Diabetes Care, Published online ahead of print, 8/31/10, care.diabetesjournals.org"Magnesium Intake and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: A Meta- Analysis" Journal of Internal Medicine, Vol. 262, No. 2, August 2007, blackwell-synergy.com )

Top of Diabetes and Magnesium
Home to age-well.org