Can Magnesium Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes?

Researchers have now detected 3,751 magnesium-binding sites on human proteins, indicating that its role in human health and disease may have been vastly underestimated.

Magnesium is also found in more than 300 different enzymes in your body, including some of those that help regulate blood sugar. This is why magnesium may keep diabetes at bay, a finding that's been gaining increasing scientific support.

Magnesium May Lower Your Risk of Diabetes:

Higher magnesium intake reduces the risk of impaired glucose and insulin metabolism and slows the progression from pre-diabetes to diabetes in middle-aged Americans.

Seven studies showed that for each 100 milligrams (mg) of magnesium consumed in a day, the risk of diabetes is decreased by 15%.

Part of the benefit appears to be due to magnesium's effect on insulin resistance.

The Magnesium-Diabetes Link:.

Since the proper intake of magnesium is crucial for diabetes prevention, it makes sense that diabetes is on the rise. That is because estimates indicate that up to 80% of Americans are not getting enough magnesium.

7 Factors Associated with Low Magnesium Levels:

1. If you drink alcohol in excess, it may interfere with your body's absorption of vitamin D, which helps magnesium absorption

2. If you eat a lot of sugar, this can also cause your body to excrete magnesium through your kidneys

3. Excessive intake of soda or caffeine

4. Menopause

5. Older age (older adults are more likely to be magnesium deficient because absorption decreases with age and the elderly are more likely to take medications that can interfere with absorption)

6. Certain medications, including diuretics, certain antibiotics (such as gentamicin and tobramycin), corticosteroids (prednisone or Deltasone) and antacids

7. An unhealthy digestive system, which impairs your body's ability to absorb magnesium (Crohn's disease, leaky gut, etc.)

Excellent sources of magnesium are:

1. Seaweed and green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and Swiss chard

2. Some beans, nuts, and seeds, such as pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds

3. Avocados

Juicing your vegetables is an excellent option to ensure you're getting enough of them in your diet.

A big problem today is that foods are grown in soil that is of poor quality. These soils are deficient in magnesium and other minerals, so getting enough isn't simply a matter of eating "magnesium-rich foods". By some estimates,a hundred years ago, we would get about 500 milligrams of magnesium in an ordinary diet. Now, we're lucky to get 200 milligrams.

Besides taking a magnesium supplement, another way to improve your magnesium status is to take regular Epsom salt baths or Epsom salt foot baths. Epsom salt is a magnesium sulfate that can absorb into your body through your skin.

Magnesium Supplements:

Prior to taking magnesium, or any other supplements, you should talk to your doctor. This is especially true if you are on blood thinners or any other drugs. For example, vitamin K may interfere with the effectiveness of blood thinners. Anytime you're taking magnesium, you need to take calcium, vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 into consideration as well, since these all work synergistically with one another. Excessive amounts of calcium without the counterbalance of magnesium can even lead to an increased probability of a heart attack.

1. Magnesium glycinate is a chelated form of magnesium that tends to provide the highest levels of absorption and bioavailability, and is typically considered ideal for those who are trying to correct a deficiency.

2. Magnesium oxide is a non-chelated type of magnesium, bound to an organic acid or a fatty acid. Contains 60% magnesium, and has stool softening properties.

3. Magnesium chloride / Magnesium lactate contain only 12% magnesium, but has better absorption than others, such as magnesium oxide, which contains five times more magnesium.

4. Magnesium sulfate / Magnesium hydroxide (milk of magnesia) are typically used as laxatives. Be aware that it's easy to overdose on these, so ONLY take as directed.

5. Magnesium carbonate, which has antacid properties, contains 45% magnesium.

6. Magnesium taurate contains a combination of magnesium and taurine, an amino acid. Together, they tend to provide a calming effect on your body and mind.

7. Magnesium citrate is magnesium with citric acid, which has laxative properties and is one of the better ones out there.

8. Magnesium threonate is a newer, emerging type of magnesium supplement that appears promising, primarily due to its superior ability to penetrate the mitochondrial membrane, and may be the best magnesium supplement on the market.

This link provides a number of other strategies that are also important for diabetes prevention.

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