If you're under the impression that it's a bad idea for diabetics to supplement with magnesium, it may be due to a common mistake made in defining the term "hypomagnesemia." Hypomagnesemia refers to magnesium levels that are too low, and many think it's a condition in which levels are too high. Regardless of the confusion, if you're wondering about the safety of magnesium supplementation as a diabetic, it's very important that you first consult with your physician.
Hypomagnesemia
According to researchers reporting in the August 2004 issue of "American Journal of Health System Pharmacy," hypomagnesemia, or too little magnesium, is common in diabetics. Accordingly, physicians often prescribe magnesium supplements as a counterbalance. Magnesium supplementation is well documented for improving blood lipid profiles, enhancing insulin sensitivity and improving metabolic control in diabetics. However, the researchers were quick to note that hypomagnesemia is different from deficiency. In magnesium deficiency, total body stores are low, while in hypomagnesemia, only blood serum levels are low.
Magnesium Dangers
The University of Maryland Medical Center website states there are very few magnesium dangers for diabetics. Taking too much can result in loose stools or diarrhea. It's possible that magnesium supplementation may lower your blood sugar, but as the website points out, that's exactly the outcome your doctor wants, so he can reduce your other medications. If you're taking antacids, which commonly contain magnesium, it may increase the absorption of blood sugar medications such as Glucatrol and Mironase. Be sure to inform your doctor if you take antacids because your medication dose may need to be adjusted.
Hypomagnesemia Dangers
Researchers reporting in the January 2007 issue of the "Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology" had some distressing things to say about the complications of hypomagnesemia in diabetics. First, up to 47.7 percent of diabetics have hypomagnesemia. The condition worsens insulin insensitivity and some researchers think it is a contributing factor, if not the primary cause, of the onset of diabetes. Low magnesium levels have also been shown to induce insulin insensitivity in non-diabetics. Further, hypomagnesemia was linked to diabetic retinopathy incidence, which causes blindness.
More Dangers
The researchers reporting in 2007 in the nephrology journal also discussed the dangers of hypomagnesemia at the cellular level. The data show that low magnesium levels promote endothelial cell dysfunction and vascular calcifications. These conditions are associated with cardiovascular disease, helping to explain why many diabetics also have heart problems. Further, magnesium is crucial in DNA synthesis and repair, and hypomagnesemia creates problems with normal cell growth. This combination of dangers helps to explain why hypomagnesemia is also associated with diabetic foot ulcerations. It is clearly very important to consult your physician regarding your magnesium and diabetes questions.
References
- "American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy"; Magnesium in Cardiovascular and Other Disorders; John Gums; August 2004
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Magnesium
- "Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology"; Hypomagnesemia in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes; Phuong-Chi T. Pha; January 2007
