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Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome
A Magnesium Deficiency Problem
"Diabetes is a magnesium deficiency state,"
Jerry Nadler, M.D., of the University of Virginia School of Medicine.
Three of the largest studies ever done on the incidence of disease are the 1980 Harvard Nurses Health study of 85,000 women, the 1986 Health Professionals Follow-up study of 43,000 men, and the 1986 Iowa Women's Health study of 40,000 women. All three studies showed that those people with the highest levels of magnesium intake had the lowest risk for developing diabetes.
Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in America. There are currently 16 million diabetics in the US - and this number is growing. Two-thirds of people with diabetes ultimately die of some form of heart disease.
To put it simply, diabetes is a malfunction in our fuel distribution process. The basic fuel burned by our cells is glucose. For glucose to be utilized, however, it must first get into the cells. Insulin in our bloodstream signals our cells to open up and allow glucose to enter.
People with "Adult Onset" or Type II diabetes produce ample insulin, but their cells aren't "listening" as well as they should, and dont respond as well to the insulin signaling. Over time, their cells have become "insulin resistant" and don't always open up to allow the glucose inside. Because the glucose doesn't enter the cells, it remains in the blood stream - leading to an unwanted blood sugar buildup. Additionally, because the cells aren't "listening" properly and the blood sugar isn't clearing out of the blood, the body responds by producing excess insulin. Now the person has too much blood sugar and too much insulin - a dangerous combination.
Whether or not they have been diagnosed with Type II diabetes, some doctors believe that most adults have some level of insulin resistance, that it is a matter of degree.
The Diabetes-Magnesium Connection
For our blood sugar processing to be normal and healthy, a proper balance of the the two key minerals, magnesium and calcium, must be maintained. Without magnesium, insulin cant do its job to open the cell pathways that allow glucose to enter. When this ratio of magnesium to calcium is disrupted due to magnesium deficiency and high levels of calcium in our diet, our cells become insulin resistant, a condition which leads to diabetes.
In her groundbreaking book, "The Magnesium Miracle", Dr Carolyn Dean, MD, states "If magnesium is in short supply, sugar stays in the blood stream, and as it becomes elevated, symptoms of diabetes appear."
It should be noted that diabetics not only need more magnesium to correct deficiencies that lead to insulin resistence, but diabetics also tend to loose magnesium through the body's elimination pathways at a higher rate than non-diabetics, presenting a double burden.
In a 1995 article published in the journal Diabetes Care, Dr. Zachary T. Bloomgarden, MD and Endocrinologist, stated: "Studies have shown that 90 percent of individuals with type 2 diabetes have low levels of free intracellular red blood cell magnesium."
Metabolic Syndrome X
Metabolic Syndrome X, a condition which is growing in the US at an alarming rate, is characterized as a single person having multiple major risk factors for heart disease:
- High blood sugar/Insulin resistance
- High blood pressure
- Obesity
- High cholesterol
Dr. Lawrence M. Resnick, MD, a practicing physician, researcher and professor of medicine at Cornell University Medical College, spent many years researching the role that the magnesium-calcium balance plays in human health. Their studies concluded that as the magnesium levels within cells fall, the calcium levels rise. The resulting magnesium-calcium ratio imbalance effects cells in such a way as to bring on Metabolic Syndrome X.
Dr. Mildred S. Seelig, MD, MPH - Author of "The Magnesium Factor"
In 1997, Dr. Resnick published an article in the American Journal of Hypertention in which he stated "A link between magnesium, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension seems established beyond reasonable doubt. The lower the free magnesium, the stiffer the blood vessels, and the higher the blood pressure, the greater the insulin resistance."
A consensus panel convened by the American Diabetes Association has recommended that all persons with diabetes who are at high risk for high blood pressure be tested and, if a problem is found, treated with a magnesium chloride supplement.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or mitigate any disease. If you are pregnant, suffering from any medical condition, or are taking medication, consult a healthcare practitioner before use. |