Wellness Database

Wellness Database: Magnesium

Magnesium reduces the risk of diabetes and obesity. It can also improve sleep quality.

Related: Obesity, Sleep, Heart Disease, Diabetes

Related Studies

Oral Supplementation With Magnesium Improves Insulin Sensitivity

Summary: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 52 normomagnesemic, overweight, insulin resistant, non-diabetic subjects, results indicate that supplementation with magnesium may improve insulin sensitivity. The subjects were randomized to magnesium-aspartate-hydrochloride or placebo for 6 months. At intervention end, significant improvement in fasting glucose and some insulin sensitivity indices were observed in the magnesium group. Thus, the authors of this study conclude, "The results provide significant evidence that oral Mg supplementation improves insulin sensitivity even in normomagnesemic, overweight, non-diabetic subjects emphasizing the need for an early optimisation of Mg status to prevent insulin resistance and subsequently type 2 diabetes.

Reference: "Oral magnesium supplementation reduces insulin resistance in non-diabetic subjects - a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial," Mooren FC, Kraus A, et al, Diabetes Obes Metab, 2010, Nov 18; [Epub ahead of print]. (Address: Department of Sports Medicine, Institute of Sports Sciences, Justus-Liebig-University, Kugelberg 62, Giessen 35394, Germany).

Magnesium May Prevent Heart Disease, Diabetes, and Metabolic Syndrome

Magnesium plays a role in a number of chronic, disease-related conditions. This article reviews current pertinent literature on magnesium, focusing on hypertension and cardiovascular diseases and implications for relationships with diabetes and metabolic syndrome. A major role for magnesium is in the regulation of blood pressure. While data are not entirely consistent, it does appear that an inverse relationship between magnesium intake and blood pressure is strongest for magnesium obtained from food rather than that obtained via supplements. Hypertension associated with preeclampsia appears to be alleviated when magnesium is administered; in addition, women with adequate intakes of magnesium are less likely to be affected by preeclampsia than those with an inadequate intake. A role for magnesium in other cardiovascular diseases has been noted in that increased magnesium intake may improve serum lipid profiles. Dietary magnesium is also recommended to aid in the prevention of stroke and is important for skeletal growth and development. Magnesium may also play a role in the development of diabetes mellitus, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. There are data from some studies, such as the DASH and PREMIER studies, that suggest that lifestyle changes (including adequate magnesium intake) can benefit blood pressure control, promote weight loss, and improve chronic disease risk.

Magnesium in Hypertension, Cardiovascular Disease, Metabolic Syndrome, and Other Conditions: A Review. doi: 10.1177/0884533608314533 Nutr Clin Pract April 2008 vol. 23 no. 2 142-151

Magnesium Benefits Diabetics

Supplementation With Magnesium May Benefit Quality of Sleep

Summary: In a placebo-controlled study involving 100 adults (78 female, 22 male), on average 60 years of age (51-85 years) with poor sleep quality assessed by a Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score higher than five, supplementation with 320 mg/d magnesium as magnesium citrate for a period of 7 weeks was found to be associated with improvements in PSQI scores (from 10.4 to 6.6) and increase in erythrocyte magnesium (4.75 to 5.05 pg/cell). Prior to intervention, 58% of subjects were found to be consuming less than the US estimated average requirement for magnesium. Furthermore, supplementation with magnesium was associated with decreases in plasma CRP in subjects with baseline levels < 3.0 mg/L. In the 37 subjects whose serum magnesium concentrations were < 1.8 mg/dL, indicating magnesium deficiency, supplementation with magnesium was associated with increased serum magnesium concentrations. The results of this study, "suggest an association between magnesium status and sleep quality that needs further study to definitively determine whether a low magnesium status is a cause or an effect of poor sleep quality."

Reference: "Magnesium supplementation improves indicators of low magnesium status and inflammatory stress in adults older than 51 years with poor quality sleep," Nielsen FH, Johnson LK, et al, Magnes Res, 2010 Dec 1; 23(4): 158-68. (Address: United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center, Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA).

Over Half of US Adults Take Vitamins Daily

New research published in the Journal of Nutrition found that over half of US adults take a nutritional supplement every single day. Older populations are more likely to be regular consumers with 70% of adults over the age 70 reporting at least one daily supplement.

Dietary supplement use has steadily increased over time since the 1970s; however, no current data exist for the U.S. population. Therefore, the purpose of this analysis was to estimate dietary supplement use using the NHANES 2003–2006, a nationally representative, cross-sectional survey. Dietary supplement use was analyzed for the U.S. population (≥1 y of age) by the DRI age groupings. Supplement use was measured through a questionnaire and was reported by 49% of the U.S. population (44% of males, 53% of females). Multivitamin-multimineral use was the most frequently reported dietary supplement (33%). The majority of people reported taking only 1 dietary supplement and did so on a daily basis. Dietary supplement use was lowest in obese adults and highest among non-Hispanic whites, older adults, and those with more than a high-school education. Between 28 and 30% reported using dietary supplements containing vitamins B-6, B-12, C, A, and E; 18–19% reported using iron, selenium, and chromium; and 26–27% reported using zinc- and magnesium-containing supplements. Botanical supplement use was more common in older than in younger age groups and was lowest in those aged 1–13 y but was reported by ~20% of adults. About one-half of the U.S. population and 70% of adults ≥ 71 y use dietary supplements; one-third use multivitamin-multimineral dietary supplements. Given the widespread use of supplements, data should be included with nutrient intakes from foods to correctly determine total nutrient exposure.

See the report here: http://jn.nutrition.org/content/141/2/261.abstract

Dr. Andrew Myers: Optimal Magnesium and the Reduction of Diabetes Risks

I realize my last blog was about Diabetes, but with the overwhelming number of obese individuals in the world and the growing epidemic of type II Diabetes, when I see research as compelling as this I have to comment.

Magnesium, like calcium and other commonly known minerals, is often considered to be commonplace in our diet today. Most people think, “lot’s of foods have calcium and magnesium,…..milk, cheese, and uh, milk and cheese.” The reality, as supported by a good deal of research (NHANES III), is that most of us do not consume enough magnesium each day and it can have a significant impact on the risk factors for Diabetes.

Dietary sources of magnesium actually include green, leafy vegetables, meats, starches, grains and nuts, and milk. Several dietary surveys show that a large portion of adults do not meet the RDA for magnesium (320 mg per day for women and 420 mg per day for men).

In a study published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism researchers report that magnesium supplementation improves sensitivity to insulin in overweight people. Insulin resistance occurs when insufficient insulin is released to produce a normal glucose response from fat, muscle and liver cells or when those same cells become unresponsive due to excess circulating insulin levels.

Supplements of magnesium for six months improved two out of three measures of insulin sensitivity, compared with placebo, while blood sugar levels, measured as fasting levels of glucose in the blood, improved by about 7 percent, report the researchers.

Diabetes affects an estimated 24 million Americans, equal to 8 percent of the population. The total costs are thought to be as much as $174 billion, with $116 billion being direct costs from medication, according to 2005-2007 American Diabetes Association figures.

Dr. Andrew Myers

Check out the newsletter version of this message here: http://eepurl.com/ceFYD

References:

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Product-Categories/Minerals/Magnesium-supplements-may-reduce-diabetes-risk-Study

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12949381

Note: The mean intake for participants from the first phase of NHANES III, which was conducted from 1988 to 1991, was 361 mg for Caucasian men and 291 mg for African American men, 256 mg for Caucasian women and 215 mg for African American women. The NHANES III means were higher than the NHANES 1999–2000 means; however, the differences between the means from the two surveys were not significant. About a decade after NHANES III was conducted, dietary magnesium intake in the U.S. population remains essentially unchanged. Furthermore, race or ethnic differences in magnesium intake also persist.

Magnesium Supplementation May Benefit Obese Women with Hypomagnesemia

In a study involving 38 non-hypertensive obese women, aged 30 to 65 years, with or without hypomagnesemia, results indicate that oral supplementation with magnesium may decrease alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in hypomagnesemic obese women. Women with hypomagnesemia received magnesium supplementation (50 mL of 5% solution of MgCl(2) equivalent to 450 mg of elemental magnesium). At 4-month end, women in the magnesium-supplemented group showed significantly lower ALT levels than women in the control group. Additionally, women in the magnesium group showed lower serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) concentrations than women in the control group (did not reach significance). Thus, the authors conclude, "Results of this study show that in hypomagnesemic obese women, oral supplementation with magnesium chloride reduces plasma ALT levels; hs-CRP levels only show a reduction trend."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20460213

"Oral magnesium supplementation decreases alanine aminotransferase levels in obese women," Rodriguez-Hernandez H, Guerrero-Romero F, et al, Magnes Res, 2010 May 12; [Epub ahead of print].

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