OTTAWA, Canada – Many North American adults are not getting daily recommended amounts for magnesium, and people of South Asian ancestry may be at higher risk for increased susceptibility to diabetes because of it.
The study was published May 5 by NCBI.
Scientists compared magnesium concentrations in South Asian and white Canadians aged 20–79 years living in Canada’s Capital Region and looked at the relationship of their health to diabetes, glucose control, insulin resistance and body mass index.
They found that serum magnesium concentration was lower in women of both races and South Asians of both genders. Racial differences in serum magnesium, however, were not significant after controlling for use of diabetes medication. They showed the use of diabetes medication and indicators of poorer glucose control, insulin resistance and obesity were associated with lower serum magnesium in women, but not in men.
The results suggest that the higher incidence of diabetes in South Asians increases their risk for magnesium deficiency and that health conditions that increase magnesium requirements have a greater effect on magnesium status in women than men.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4422846/