What you eat and how much you exercise have an impact on your blood sugar levels in your body. Glucose, or blood sugar, that is present in your bloodstream uses insulin to gain access to your cells. Insulin, a hormone produced in the pancreas, transports glucose from the blood into the cells, where it can be used for energy. Magnesium is a mineral found in foods and supplements that has a significant impact on how your body uses insulin and metabolizes sugar. Magnesium deficiency can reduce the effectiveness of insulin in the body and increase your blood sugar levels, thus increasing your risk of vascular damage from diabetes.
Diabetes Control
If you suffer from diabetes, controlling your blood sugar levels is an integral part of monitoring the effectiveness of your treatment protocols. According to the American Diabetes Association, you should not attempt to develop tight control of your blood sugar levels without first working with a dietitian. Tight control of your blood sugar levels keeps your blood sugar as close to a nondiabetic level as possible to reduce the damage to your arteries and organs. Individuals using tight control will attempt to mimic the release of insulin from the pancreas by using multiple injections throughout the day or will use an insulin pump.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a mineral used by almost every organ in the body, but especially by the heart, muscles and kidneys, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Magnesium can be found in teeth and bones, and is utilized to activate enzymes that are used for energy production, and to balance copper, calcium, zinc and vitamin D levels in the body. Although you might not receive enough magnesium in your diet, it is very rare that you will exhibit the symptoms of the condition. An imbalance of magnesium can lead to agitation, anxiety, restless leg syndrome, nausea and vomiting, low blood pressure, confusion, poor nail growth, hyperventilation, muscle spasms and weakness, and even seizures.
Insulin Resistance
This is a condition in which your cells do not use the insulin being produced properly. According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, when your muscle, fat and liver cells are resistant to insulin, your body begins to produce more to help glucose enter the cells. Eventually, the pancreas cannot keep up with the demand, and excess glucose builds up in the bloodstream. The Office of Dietary Supplements from the National Institutes of Health cites several large studies that have demonstrated that a lack of magnesium in the body will increase the level of resistance that your cells have to insulin. Magnesium also plays an important role in carbohydrate metabolism and might influence the release of insulin from the pancreas.
Similarly, a study reported by physicians at the University of Maryland Medical Center reported that individuals who received higher levels of magnesium in their diet might have a protective mechanism against the onset of type 2 diabetes.
Food Sources and Supplementation
Foods that provide a high amount of magnesium include halibut, almonds, cashews, soybeans, spinach, mixed nuts, peanut butter, fortified cereals, yogurt, brown rice and lentils, says the Office of Dietary Supplements. The National Institutes of Health says you might need extra magnesium in your diet or from supplements if you have diabetes; take certain diuretics, antibiotics or anti-cancer medications; are an alcoholic; or have a chronic intestinal disorder. When blood levels are very low, your physician might recommend intravenous supplementation. Oral supplements combine magnesium with other substances. The amount of elemental magnesium in the supplement and how available it is to the body will influence how effective it is in improving the way in which the body is able to use insulin.
