Low Magnesium Intake Linked to Type-2 Diabetes

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A recent cross-sectional study that looked at the relationship between magnesium intake and metabolism, depression, and physical activity in elderly patients with type-2 diabetes has found that an alarming percentage had low magnesium intake. Researchers are now looking into how much magnesium supplements help prevent and control the effects of type-2 diabetes.

Among those studied, a staggering 88.6% of elderly type-2 diabetes patients had lower magnesium intake than the medically recommended dietary guidelines. Nearly 39% had an abnormally low amount, also known as hypomagnesemia.

Researchers also found strong links between low magnesium intake and depression and metabolic disorders. On the flip side, higher magnesium intake helped improve the levels of good cholesterol, HDL. Patients with higher levels of magnesium also had a lower waist circumference, percentage of body fat, and body mass index. Higher levels of magnesium also severely lowered the odds of depression, obesity, high body fat, and high body mass index.

Magnesium is a major compound that controls hundreds of biochemical reactions in your body. It also helps support muscle health, nerve function, heart health, immune system, and bone health. It also helps regulate your blood pressure, metabolism, and blood sugar levels. Along with diabetes, researchers are now looking at magnesium’s potential to help prevent or manage cardiovascular disease and hypertension.

Magnesium is often found in green vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, potatoes, dairy products, and some fruits. Unfortunately, many children and adults fail to meet the recommended dietary intake and require additional supplements to get to a healthy level.

While having healthy levels of magnesium serves as protection against heart and immune problems, deficiency can lead to muscle contractions, cramps, and seizures, abnormal heart beat, and impaired system function. People who suffer from gastrointestinal disorders, diabetes, alcoholism, low potassium or calcium, or are taking antibiotics, diuretics, or certain other medications have a harder time absorbing magnesium and are at higher risk of deficiency.

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