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Dietary magnesium intake in type 2 diabetes

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 56, pages 409–414 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

Background: Magnesium deficiency is common in type 2 diabetes and may have a negative impact on glucose homeostasis and insulin resistance, as well as on the evolution of complications such as retinopathy, thrombosis and hypertension.

Objective: To assess the dietary magnesium intake of patients with type 2 diabetes in Zurich, Switzerland and to compare the magnesium intake of diabetic and non-diabetic subjects.

Design: The magnesium intake of 97 randomly selected patients with type 2 diabetes and 100 healthy, non-diabetic controls matched for age and sex was estimated using a diet history method. During winter and summer periods, mean daily magnesium intakes were calculated from detailed information given by the test subjects about their eating habits over the previous 2 months. The calculations were performed using EBIS, a computer program based on a German nutrient data base (BLS 2.3), with food items specific to Switzerland added or directly analysed when necessary.

Results: The mean±s.d. daily magnesium intake of the male diabetic and male control subjects was 423.2±103.1 and 421.1±111.0 mg, respectively. The mean daily magnesium intake of the female diabetic and female control subjects was 419.1±109.7 and 383.5±109.7 mg, respectively. There were no significant differences in daily magnesium intake between the diabetic and the non-diabetic subjects and mean intakes in both groups exceeded Swiss recommended dietary intakes.

Conclusions: Dietary intake of magnesium appears sufficient in Swiss adults with type 2 diabetes and is unlikely to contribute to the aetiology of magnesium deficiency.

Sponsorship: The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland.

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Acknowledgements

For their assistance in this project, we thank the dieticians of the Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes of the University Hospital of Zurich, and the programme for older adults at the University of Zurich.

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Author notes

  1. MK Wälti: Guarantor: M Wälti.

  2. MK Wälti, MB Zimmermann, GA Spinas, S Jacob and RF Hurrell: Contributors: All authors contributed to the study design and data analysis. MW supervised the diet histories, the direct food analyses. MW, MZ, RH and GS all contributed to the writing of the paper.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Human Nutrition, Institute of Food Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, Switzerland

    MK Wälti, MB Zimmermann, S Jacob & RF Hurrell

  2. Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    GA Spinas

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  1. MK Wälti
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  2. MB Zimmermann
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  4. S Jacob
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Correspondence to MK Wälti.

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Wälti, M., Zimmermann, M., Spinas, G. et al. Dietary magnesium intake in type 2 diabetes. Eur J Clin Nutr 56, 409–414 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601327

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