Magnesium: a ‘magical’ mineral for diabetes

Sun, 06 January 2013, Oman Observer

By Mini Padikkal — Does diabetes cause magnesium deficiency or does magnesium deficiency causes diabetes? Whatever the answer, scientists agree one thing — it is important to get enough of this ‘magical’ mineral, since it seems to help prevent diabetic complications such as heart disease, eye disease, kidney disease, and high blood pressure. The metabolic role of magnesium is so diverse that it is difficult to find a body system that is not affected by magnesium deficiency. Our cardiovascular system, digestive system, nervous system, muscles, kidneys, liver, hormone-secreting glands, and brain all rely on magnesium for their metabolic function.

Evidence shows that people with diabetes are more likely to be lacking in magnesium. This could be due to increased urination because of abnormal blood sugar levels and the effect of insulin on the body. Diabetes related kidney disease also may worsen magnesium problems.
Are you getting enough of this mineral through your diet? Many people don’t. Inside our bodies, magnesium is found mostly in our bones (60-65 per cent ), but also in our muscles (25 per cent ), and in other cell types and body fluids. Like all minerals, magnesium cannot be made in our body and must therefore be plentiful in our diet in order for us to remain healthy.

Good sources of magnesium include avocados, pumpkin seeds, swiss chards, dark leafy greens, legumes, whole grains, sea foods, squash, broccoli, oatmeal and nuts. The impact of cooking and processing on magnesium can vary greatly from food to food, since magnesium is found in different forms in different types of food. In some foods, where a greater percent of magnesium is found in water-soluble form, blanching (boiling or steaming for 1-4 minutes), steaming, or boiling of these foods can result in a substantial loss of magnesium. For example, about one third of the magnesium in spinach is lost after blanching. Similarly, when navy beans are cooked, they lose 65 per cent of their magnesium.
In other foods that are rich in magnesium, like almonds or peanuts, there is very little loss of magnesium either from roasting or from processing into almond or peanut butter (as long as the whole almond or peanut is used).
If you are low in magnesium, you will have a harder time processing carbohydrates, be more open to insulin resistance, and may suffer high blood pressure, irregular heart beat and other heart problems, and possibly eye problems. So try adding more magnesium-rich foods to your diet!
(The writer is a dietician at Atlas Medical Centre, Al Khuwair.)