Magnesium deficiency in type 2 diabetes

Hippokratia 2004, 8(4):179-181

Z Rasic – Milutinovic, G Perunicic – Pekovic, S Pljexa, A Dangic, V Libek, Lj Bokan, M Cancovic – Kadijevic


Abstract

Background. Controversial reports are available regarding the effect of magnesium (Mg) on glycaemic control and lipids profile in diabetic patients. The present study was designed to compare serum Mg levels of type 2 diabetic patients with those of non-diabetic controls and to assess the relationship between serum Mg levels and metabolic parameters of type 2 diabetic patients and healthy control subjects.
Patients and Methods: The study was randomized, cross -sectional and 90 healthy blood donors and 38 patients with Type 2 diabetes were recruited. Serum glucose, insuline, total cholesterol, triglycerides, total Mg++ and Ca++ were measured. Weight, height and blood pressure were recorded. BMI and IR were calculated.
Results: Plasma glucose level, and calculated IR HOMA were significantly higher in diabetic subjects, as we expected (glucose 3.98±0.10 mmol / l vs. 6.60±0.70 mmol / l, p: 0.04, IR 3.28±0.21 mU / l vs. 6.39±0.15 mU / l, p: 0.01). Plasma lipids, Total cholesterol (Total ch) and triglycerides (5.42± 0.98 mmol / l vs. 7.30±2.20 mmol / l, p: 0.04, 1.78± 1.12 mmol / 1 vs. 3.5±1.87 mmol / l, p: 0.01) were also significantly higher in diabetic patients. Serum Mg was lower significantly in diabetic subjects (0.83±0.03 mmol / l vs. 0.77±0.09 mmol p: 0.04). In healthy subjects serum Mg level negatively correlated with body mass index (BMI) (r: -0.316, p < 0.01), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (r: -0.326, p < 0.01), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (r: -0.346, p < 0.01). In diabetic group serum Mg level negatively correlated with serum insulin (r: -0.233, p: 0.05), IR HOMA (r: -0.280, p: 0.04), Total ch (r: -0.331, p: 0.02), triglycerides (r: -0.378, p < 0.01) and with SBP (r: -0.380, p < 0.01) and DBP (r: -0.272, p: 0.04).
Conclusion: The results of the present study have shown lower serum Mg level in type 2 diabetic patients and demonstrated that almost all components of metabolic syndrome in diabetic patients were associated with serum Mg level.