Magnesium Deficiency and Diabetes

By Hans R. Larsen MSc ChE – http://www.afibbers.org/magnesium.html
NEW YORK, NY. Researchers at Columbia University report that as many as one in three diabetics may lack magnesium. Magnesium deficiencies have also been implicated in cardiac arrhythmias, vasospasms, and seizures. It is believed that a lack of magnesium leads to increased insulin resistance, ie. a faulty metabolism of carbohydrates that causes unoxidized sugar to accumulate in the blood and urine (diabetes mellitus). Although the increase in insulin resistance caused by magnesium deficiency is most pronounced in diabetics it can also occur in non-diabetics. Furthermore, it is now clear that magnesium absorption is impaired in diabetics thus setting up a vicious cycle of magnesium deficiency and insulin resistance. The researchers believe that insulin-dependent diabetics can benefit substantially from oral supplementation with magnesium (hydroxide or chloride). They also point out that magnesium supplementation (six weeks of magnesium chloride, 384 mg/day) has been found to lower systolic blood pressure in type II diabetics (by about 7 mm Hg). The recommended magnesium intake for adults is 300-400 mg/day, but significantly higher intakes may be required to correct severe depletion. Supplementation is not recommended for patients with kidney disease.

Tosiello, Lorraine. Hypomagnesemia and diabetes mellitus. Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 156, June 10, 1996, pp. 1143-48

Three of the largest studies ever done on the incidence of disease are the Harvard Nurses Health study of 85,000 women, the Health Professionals Follow-up study of 43,000 men, and the Iowa Women’s Health study of 40,000 women. All three studies showed that those people with the highest levels of magnesium intake had the lowest risk for developing diabetes.