Study Details Vital Role of Magnesium in Type 2 Diabetes
Benefits of Specific Minerals
For Diabetes Confirmed
Low Magnesium status may
exacerbate the symptoms of
type 2 diabetes by further
influencing insulin status,
according to new research.
The study, published in
Clinical Nutrition finds that
long-term hyperglycemia
(a condition that leads to
excess levels of magnesium
in the urine) in patients withtype-2 diabetes increases
the risk of chronic complications such as nephropathy
and may exacerbate and aggravate other clinical
conditions associated with diabetes.
The authors said that an adequate magnesium intake
is essential for subjects with type-2 diabetes, noting that
magnesium intake was inadequate in most (82 percent)
of the diabetic subjects studied.
"The results presented here show that magnesium
intake by the study populationwas inadequate and that
a high percentage of individuals presented alterations
in the status of this mineral," said the researchers from
the Department of Food and Experimental Nutrition at
the University of São Paulo, Brazil.
Magnesium, an Essential Mineral
Magnesium is an essential in the regulation of many
cellular processes and functions as a co-factor in a
wide range of metabolic reactions.
Variations in the distribution of magnesium within
the body are associated with several disease states,
especially diabetes the disorder which is now
considered a global public health concern.
The research scientists explained that the function of
insulin is dependent on magnesium, as it is responsible
for the activation of insulin receptors and for
stimulation of proteins and substrates involved in
insulin signaling.
Previous research has suggested the magnesium
intake of patients with diabetes to often be below recommended levels. The researchers noted that
there is also evidence that the magnesium status
of patients with diabetes tends to alter, and that low
levels may influence the evolution of the disease
by generating further complications.
"Although some epidemiological studies have
suggested that adequate magnesium intake reduces the
risk of development of type 2 diabetes, there are still
contradictions with respect to the role of low magnesium
intake as a predictor factor for this disease," said the
researchers.
The new research assessed magnesium intake status
in patients with type 2 diabetes, in order to identify the
parameters that best predict alterations in fasting
glucose and plasma magnesium.
Study Details
Sales and colleagues reported that 77 percent of
participants presented one or more magnesium status
parameters below the cut-off points for deficiency.
The glycemic levels of patients with type-2 diabetes
were found to be influenced by magnesium levels.
The authors reported that concentrations of plasma
magnesium were inversely correlated with fasting
and 2-h post meal glucose levels, adding that levels
of urine magnesium were directly associated with
fasting glucose.
Within subjects evaluated, 63 percent were found
to have low concentrations of plasma magnesium,
indicating alterations in the compartmentalization of
this mineral, according to the authors.
The authors said that since magnesium is essential,
owing to its involvement in the magnesium-ATP complex
that takes part in all transfer reactions that use and supply
energy, it is not surprising that deficiency of the mineral
is implicated in the impairment of metabolic control.
They concluded that impaired kidney function may lead
to high levels of magnesium in the urine, which together
with low magnesium intake can induce a rise of glucose
in the blood.
Source: Clinical Nutrition Published online
"Influence of magnesium status and magnesium
intake on the blood glucose controling patients with
type 2 diabetes"
Editor's Note: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
