Thursday, September 8, 2011

The Role of Magnesium in Diabetes Management

It is already known that there is a link between magnesium deficiency and diabetes. It is found that magnesium can improve sensitivity to insulin and reduce risks in retinopathy, cardiovascular diseases and nephropathy.

Studies show that magnesium deficiency has something to do with diabetes. The magnesium recommended daily allowance is 6 mg/kg/d, or 400-420 mg/d for adult men and for adult women 320 mg/d or more for those who are lactating and pregnant. Based on these standards, it has been found that most of the US population lack magnesium intake.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that patients with diabetes should have enough magnesium, as it understands the risks they are facing if magnesium is deficient.

Diabetes and magnesium

Studies found out that in diabetics, intracellular free magnesium and plasma levels are lower than those who are not. Being deficient of magnesium can be a big deal since magnesium ion plays a crucial role in numerous reactions of the enzymes during metabolic processes.

There is a link between insulin action and magnesium. For grownups, low magnesium concentration is linked with impaired diabetes-related abnormalities such as glucose tolerance, insulin resistance and decreased insulin secretion. Magnesium deficiency is associated with an rising risk for type 2 diabetes. Magnesium is playing a significant role in the metabolism of carbohydrates.

Magnesium deficiency is also a major cause of insulin resistance especially in diabetic obese children. That is why magnesium intake is very important in preventing type 2 diabetes in kids that are overweight.

Magnesium sources

As the body needs magnesium for its parts like muscles, heart, bones, teeth and kidneys, we have to know where we can find magnesium in our diet. We can get magnesium from whole grains, green leafy vegetables and nuts from all others.

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