Dr. Ka He from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and colleagues have discovered that men and women who consumed high levels of magnesium from foods and nutritional vitamin supplements were about 50% less likely to develop diabetes in the next 2 decades as individuals who took in little magnesium.

Inside the study, researchers assessed magnesium intake and diabetes risk in 4,497 people aged 18 to thirty years old, none of whom were diabetic at the study's outset. After a 20-year follow-up period, 330 of the subjects developed diabetes.

Those with the highest magnesium intake were 47 percent less likely to develop diabetes than others with the lowest intakes (average of 100 milligrams of magnesium per 1,000 calories).

The study noted, however, that large clinical trials testing the consequences of magnesium on diabetes risk are expected to discover whether a causal relationship truly exists.

The results from this study could explain why usage of whole grain products, which can be full of magnesium, is associated with lower diabetes risk. And while whole grains really are a common source of magnesium, there are numerous other sources of magnesium easily available. 

Dark green vegetables, like spinach, are great sources because the middle of the chlorophyll molecule (which gives green vegetables their color) contains magnesium. Some legumes (beans and peas), nuts and seeds, and whole, unrefined grains may also be good sources.

Regular water may also be a source of magnesium, though the amount varies based on the water supply. Water that naturally contains more minerals is called "hard water."

The proposed factors explaining why an increased intake of magnesium could lower the risk for developing type two diabetes vary. According to the National Institutes of Health, Magnesium plays a crucial role in carbohydrate metabolism and it may influence the release and activity of insulin, the hormone that helps manage blood glucose (sugar) levels.

The lesson? Increasing magnesium intake may be essential for improving insulin sensitivity, reducing systemic inflammation, and decreasing diabetes risk.  Sounds like the time is right to begin introducing more magnesium-rich foods into your daily diet!

Resource for this article:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_103722.html