Diabetes and Magnesium: The Great Deficiency

Have you ever wondered how diabetes and magnesium are related? In that case, you should be here. According to some rankings, magnesium is the fourth most important mineral in the human body and is essential to the body’s entire operation.

Because magnesium controls blood sugar levels, its significance in the human body cannot be understated. In addition, it aids in the prevention of Type-2 diabetes. Is it safe for a person with diabetes to consume magnesium despite its many health benefits?

How does magnesium relate to diabetes?

Even though magnesium is extremely important for helping people with diabetes control their blood sugar levels, many diabetic patients are still typically diagnosed with magnesium shortage. Compared to people with other forms of diabetes, patients with type 2 diabetes are more likely to have this insufficiency.

Insulin resistance is typically linked to magnesium deficiency. You have probably lost too much magnesium through your urine if you have low magnesium levels in your body and are insulin sensitive. Patients with type 1 diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes are susceptible to this magnesium deficit if they also develop insulin resistance.

The majority of diabetics experience magnesium insufficiency as a result of their bodies’ attempts to eliminate excess blood sugar, which is often accomplished by frequent urine. The kidneys keep the balance of magnesium in the body, but diabetics’ kidneys are under a lot greater strain, which causes some magnesium to also be eliminated through the urine.

The Significance of Magnesium Within Your Body.

It brings down blood pressure.

People with diabetes typically experience high blood pressure as a result of the extra strain placed on their blood vessels, which can cause arteriosclerosis, or the hardening of blood vessels. Thus, you should consume more magnesium if you have high blood pressure or are attempting to avoid it.

Studies have shown that ingesting foods and supplements high in magnesium can lower blood pressure in persons who have high blood pressure.

Magnesium also helps to maintain normal blood pressure, so if you already have it, you don’t need to worry about low blood pressure and the problems that come with diabetes from it.

• It assists in controlling blood sugar levels since magnesium levels affect how well insulin functions and how quickly the body metabolizes carbohydrates. Since insulin is required to regulate blood glucose levels, magnesium helps to promote insulin activity, which lowers blood glucose levels. Additionally, it can help type 2 diabetic individuals control their disease by reducing insulin resistance in them.

• It aids in the treatment of heart disease.

You are now far less likely to experience heart attacks, strokes, or other heart-related disorders because high blood pressure is one of the risk factors for these events.

Furthermore anti-inflammatory is magnesium. Patients with diabetes have a higher chance of developing chronic inflammation because their bodies see elevated blood sugar as an intruder and launch an immune response. Given that diabetes is a chronic illness, the immune system’s reaction causes persistent inflammation, which, if unchecked, harms a number of organs, including the heart.

Magnesium lowers the risk of cardiac problems by lowering the chance of chronic inflammation.

Read Also: Nine Diabetes-Friendly Dessert Recipes with Low Sugar and Carbohydrates

Magnesium’s Other Advantages

Magnesium helps enhance general health and is beneficial for controlling blood sugar and avoiding issues from diabetes. Among the other health advantages of magnesium are:

1. It aids in the prevention of depression.

Over time, magnesium has been linked to improved mood. Moreover, it collaborates with the brain to be effective. To improve your mood if you’re feeling down, try eating foods and taking supplements high in magnesium.

According to research, most people who were initially depressed always feel better after eating meals high in magnesium or taking magnesium supplements.

2. It aids in lowering the rate of weariness.

If you’re an athlete looking for other ways to avoid getting tired quickly, you can try foods and pills that are high in magnesium. This also applies to those of you who regularly work out physically because raising your body’s magnesium level will help you feel more energised.

Your body will produce more glucose, or sugar, as a result of which your energy level will rise. Lactase, the main contributor to early weariness, will be released from the muscles as a result of this activity.

If your blood sugar is normal, using foods and supplements that include magnesium will be less effective, but if it is low, it will be highly helpful. Remember that if your body’s magnesium level is normal, your blood sugar level is probably normal as well.

3. It aids in the battle against migraine.

If you have ever experienced a migraine, you know that they are not to be taken lightly. Did you know that you can significantly lessen your fears about having to handle a severe migraine until you acquire your prescriptions by using simply foods and supplements high in magnesium?

Researchers have discovered that the majority of migraineurs who take magnesium supplements without the need for medication recover quickly.

4. It aids in the battle against diabetes type 2.

Studies show that individuals with Type-2 diabetes have low magnesium levels in their systems. It was also mentioned that if you have diabetes and consume meals high in magnesium, there’s a good chance your blood sugar would start to climb.

Insulin resistance can develop in people with type 1 diabetes. Try to eat more foods high in magnesium and take more magnesium supplements to avoid this. Doctor-prescribed magnesium supplements have shown to be highly beneficial. It might be wise to speak with your doctor before choosing any meals or supplements that contain magnesium.

The Different Kinds Of Supplemental Magnesium

If you want to eat your way into better blood glucose control, you should be aware that certain forms of magnesium supplements are more appropriate for different types of ailments. Additionally, their rates of absorption differ. These forms of magnesium include magnesium lactate, magnesium gluconate, magnesium aspartate, magnesium threonate, magnesium glycinate, oxide, magnesium chloride, magnesium sulfate, carbonate, magnesium laureate, and magnesium citrate.

For example, magnesium oxide enhances glycemic management. While certain forms of magnesium have no effect on blood sugar levels, magnesium chloride improves the body’s ability to absorb sugar and raises fasting glucose levels.

These supplements can be applied topically as oils and lotions, taken orally as capsules, powder, liquid, or intravenously as injections.

Sources of Magnesium in the Diet

There are other ways to get more magnesium besides pills; you may also eat more foods high in magnesium. Thankfully, a number of these high-magnesium meals are also low on the glycemic index, which is beneficial for diabetics, so you don’t have to worry about overindulging. Among these food sources of magnesium are:

1. Leafy greens, such as kale and spinach. It has long been known that vegetables are a great source of several minerals, including magnesium, and that they have a low glycemic index.

2. Whole grains: Fortunately, you can add foods like brown rice and wheat bread into your diet easily, and they are also good providers of magnesium.

3. Sweet potatoes: They are used in a number of delectable recipes, and you can now take advantage of their high magnesium and fiber content in addition to enjoying the wonderful dishes.

4. The best nuts to nibble on are cashew and almond. You can better manage your illness and return to normal magnesium levels by snacking on these nuts.

Cereals, peanut butter, oats, beans, avocados, chicken breasts, and similar foods are some more examples.

What Is The Appropriate Daily Magnesium Intake?

While you should take more magnesium, you don’t want to go overboard. For this reason, the NIH has created a table showing how much each gender needs to consume each day. For adult males, the recommended daily consumption is 410 to 420 mg, and for adult women, it is 320 to 360 mg.

The Dangers Of Taking Too Much Magnesium

It is recommended to ingest magnesium within the daily consumption. Overconsumption of magnesium can result in magnesium toxicity, which is typically accompanied by dysphagia, dyspnea, arrhythmia, and cardiac arrest. Additionally, because of the kidneys’ need to remove too much magnesium from the body, it may result in impaired renal function.

And other people’s digestive systems aren’t able to take magnesium supplements, which is where oils and lotions come in. However, you should exercise caution when irritated. For certain individuals, taking magnesium supplements may also have a laxative effect that causes pains in the stomach or diarrhea.

In conclusion

For a diabetic, magnesium is essential since it assists with insulin sensitivity and blood glucose regulation. However, you should speak with your healthcare practitioner before beginning to take magnesium supplements as they are the ones who can best determine what is appropriate for you.