Magnesium – a secret weapon against diabetes

Laura Anderson<ander359@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension -

How can magnesium help you in the fight against diabetes?

Magnesium is a mineral that is essential to good health and necessary for more than 300 biochemical reactions within the body. Some of its more critical jobs include maintaining muscle and nerve function, as well as immune function and blood glucose control.

Magnesium has a close relationship with insulin. Insulin is a hormone that delivers glucose to the body’s cells. Without magnesium, insulin is unable to perform this function, resulting in high blood glucose levels. A deficiency in magnesium may create a resistance to insulin and without the necessary levels of magnesium, the larger amounts of insulin produced to maintain glucose levels are not accommodated.

People with diabetes tend to have inadequate amounts of magnesium and also have additional loss of magnesium in their urine. This can intensify the health conditions and complications

Research shows that low magnesium levels may further promote progression of diabetes. Surveys have indicated that many adults do not meet the recommended daily intake of magnesium. There are many nutrient-dense foods that contain rich amounts of magnesium in them.

Magnesium can be found in foods such as dry roasted almonds, spinach, cashews, peanut butter and baked potatoes. Skim milk also contains magnesium. Check the 2010 dietary guidelines for more information on magnesium and its recommendations. Also visit Michigan State University Extension online for more interesting and useful articles related to diabetes and nutrition.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

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