Magnesium is the fourth mineral in the human body and is widely involved in cell life activities. It plays an important role in the physiological functions of the brain, heart and skeletal muscle. This article will elaborate on the benefits of magnesium for type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Hope to help your daily health care.
Magnesium may help to regulate blood sugar.
When we eat, the food passes through the stomach and intestines and is converted into our body’s fuel, which is glucose or blood sugar. At this time, the pancreas will secrete insulin to help the cells absorb glucose, and then the body’s blood sugar level will drop.
If you have too much carbohydrate food, it will produce too much glucose, so that the pancreas will secrete more insulin to help cells absorb glucose and reduce blood sugar.
It’s okay to overeat once in a while because insulin does all that normally. But if you eat a lot of carbohydrates frequently for a long time, bad things will happen. Insulin is often secreted in excess, which will cause cells to become less sensitive to insulin response. In this way, even if a large amount of blood sugar and insulin is produced in the body, the cells will not actively accept it. Then blood sugar is difficult to drop. This is how insulin resistance occurs. And insulin resistance is the main cause of type 2 diabetes.
So what positive role does magnesium play in it? Magnesium is involved in the production and secretion of insulin, and more importantly, it is also involved in the process of insulin signaling in cells. In other words, insulin needs the help of magnesium to regulate blood sugar normally. In 2015, a review report in the World Journal of Diabetes pointed out that most diabetic patients have low magnesium content, and magnesium may play a role in diabetes management because magnesium has a positive effect on glucose control and insulin metabolism.
Some studies have confirmed that a lack of magnesium can lead to impaired insulin secretion and reduced sensitivity, thereby increasing insulin resistance. Insulin resistance usually occurs before type 2 diabetes. Researchers have found that for every 100 mg increase in magnesium intake per day, the risk of type 2 diabetes is reduced by approximately 15%. A daily intake of 300 to 365 mg of magnesium can improve insulin sensitivity.
Magnesium may help to lower blood.
Blood pressure is the force of blood flow in the body. Hypertension means that blood pressure is higher than normal, which puts extra pressure on the heart and blood vessels. It will increase the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Experts from Harvard Medical School list magnesium as one of the key minerals for maintaining healthy blood pressure. It is because magnesium prevents blood vessels from constricting and helps relax blood vessels. The relaxation of blood vessels is a crucial factor in regulating blood pressure, so magnesium helps to maintain blood pressure levels within the normal range.
Studies have shown that magnesium plays an important role in regulating blood pressure. After three months of taking magnesium supplements, blood pressure was lower than that of people who did not take magnesium supplements. Due to its relative safety and low cost, magnesium supplementation can be considered a better choice for people with hypertension to regulate blood pressure. If enough magnesium is taken, it can help the body reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and high blood pressure.
How to supplement magnesium?
The best way to supplement magnesium is through food. Certain foods can become a significant part of our diet. It is not only because of a single vitamin or mineral, but also the cooperation of all the nutrients in the food. Therefore, first, focus on getting the daily magnesium required from food, and then use supplements as a backup.
Magnesium can be found in food, such as whole grains, legumes, nuts, and green leafy vegetables. The side effects of excessive magnesium intake are not common, because the body will excrete the excess magnesium in the urine. However, people who consume too much magnesium from supplements can experience diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal cramps.
The bottom line
In summary, magnesium plays an active role in regulating blood sugar and blood pressure. I hope that friends who are bothered by these two kinds of problems will not neglect magnesium supplementation. You can start by supplementing your daily diet. I wish you good health.
