New Study Finds Magnesium May Reduce Diabetes Risk

Rebecca Lewis October 22, 2014

Getting the daily recommended amount of magnesium can help reduce diabetes risk, even among those who are already showing signs of the condition. That’s the latest findings from Tufts University, and published in the journal Diabetes Care.

The new study found that healthy people with the highest magnesium intake were 37 percent less likely to develop high blood sugar or excess circulating insulin, common precursors to diabetes.

For the study, researchers tracked 2,582 participants in the Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort for seven years. The study subjects had an average age of 54.Among people who already had those conditions, those who consumed the most magnesium were 32 per cent less likely to develop diabetes than those consuming the least.The second association held true even when researchers accounted for other healthful factors, such as fibre, that often go along with magnesium-rich foods.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral that is present in relatively large amounts in the body. Researchers estimate that the average person’s body contains about 25 grams of magnesium, and about half of that is in the bones. This nutrient is involved in more than 300 chemical reactions that keep the body working properly.

People get magnesium from their diet, but sometimes magnesium supplements are needed if magnesium levels are too low. Dietary intake of magnesium may be low, particularly among women.

Magnesium is naturally abundant in a wide range of fruits and vegetables, such as spinach, collard greens, kale, and Swiss chard, as well as in seeds and nuts like sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, cashews, pine nuts, and flaxseeds. Fatty fish like salmon can also add more magnesium to your menu. Avocados are a great source too. A slice of avocado contains 15 percent of the recommended daily amount of magnesium.

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Magnesium cuts diabetes risk