Results of a 20-Year Magnesium Study on Diabetes Revealed

An inverse relationship between magnesium intake and diabetes incidence has been observed in a 20-year study published in late August in the journal Diabetes Care.

Led by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the study pulled 4497 men and women 18 to 30 years old with no diabetes history at baseline. Researchers assessed incidence of patient magnesium intake in relation to incidence of diabetes, insulin resistance, and biomarkers for inflammation, including C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and fibrinogen.

Over 20 years of follow-up, 330 diabetes cases were recorded.

“People with the highest magnesium intake, who averaged about 200 milligrams of magnesium for every 1,000 calories they consumed, were 47% less likely to have developed diabetes during follow up than those with the lowest intakes, who consumed about 100 milligrams of magnesium per 1,000 calories,” reported Reuters Health.

Regarding the other biomarkers observed, “Consistently, magnesium intake was inversely associated with [CRP, interleukin-6, fibrinogen, and insulin resistance],” wrote the study’s author.