More magnesium reduces the risk of disease and premature death in people with diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is associated with metabolic disorders and a number of complications such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, eye damage and nerve damage. Type 2 diabetes is a lifestyle disease in which the modern refined diet plays a major role. It appears that a higher intake of magnesium from a coarse and green diet, as well as from supplements, can reduce adult diabetics’ risk of premature death due to cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and all other causes. This was shown in a population study published in Diabetic Medicine.

Type 2 diabetes has major human and socioeconomic consequences. The disease is caused by elevated blood glucose, where the hormone insulin is unable to get sufficient blood glucose into the cells. The condition, also known as insulin resistance, leads to a number of metabolic disorders such as overweight, high blood pressure and a disturbed lipid profile. Overall, type 2 diabetes is characterized by chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, where free radicals can cause damage to blood vessels, the kidneys, and other tissues.
Since magnesium plays a crucial role in the metabolism of blood glucose, and magnesium deficiency is associated with insulin resistance, the new population study aimed to investigate more closely the relationship between magnesium intake in people with diabetes and various complications and premature death.
The study included 6,004 adults with diabetes who were recruited from a larger American population study called US NHANES, as well as 10,130 adults with diabetes who were recruited from the British UK Biobank. Both contain extensive data on the populations’ lifestyles, dietary habits and health over several years.
The participants’ daily intake of magnesium from their diet was divided into four groups (quartiles), depending on who had the lowest and who had the highest magnesium intake.
The researchers then used special models (Cox regression and restricted cubic spline) to evaluate the relationship between the participants’ magnesium intake and premature death due to cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and all other causes.
During the test period, there were 1,442 deaths in the NHANES group and 651 deaths in the UK Biobank group. When the researchers compared the participants’ dietary magnesium intake with the risk of premature death, they found the following:

• People with diabetes who had a higher magnesium intake had a reduced risk of premature death due to cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and all other causes compared with diabetics who consumed less magnesium
• In both population studies, magnesium intake followed a non-linear pattern, where the positive effect stopped once magnesium intake reached a sufficient level
• The researchers conclude that people with diabetes who consume more magnesium through their diets have a reduced risk of premature death due to cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and all other causes. Since magnesium deficiency is widespread, the results of the study emphasize that a diet containing more magnesium has therapeutic potential as part of the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
• Magnesium is found particularly in a coarse and green diet with whole grains, seeds, nuts, almonds, legumes, spinach, cabbage, avocado and other vegetables.

How much magnesium do people with diabetes and prediabetes need?

The new study is in line with an earlier study (Jia Du et al. 2025), which showed that people with diabetes need around 345 mg of magnesium daily through their diet to achieve the optimal effect in terms of preventing complications such as diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease). This dose is close to the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR) for magnesium, which are 300 mg for women and 350 mg for men.
It has also been shown that magnesium supplementation can improve blood glucose and the blood lipid profile in adults with prediabetes. This is shown by an earlier meta-analysis (Abdul Basit et al. 2025). It is of course best to obtain enough magnesium by eating a coarse and green diet.
With regard to magnesium supplements, one should make sure to buy an easily absorbable organic form and not magnesium oxide, which primarily has a laxative effect.

Magnesium’s effect on blood glucose, insulin resistance and oxidative stress

• Helps activate the cells’ insulin receptors and the transport of blood glucose into the cells
• Involved in the activation of vitamin D, which is important for the pancreas to produce and secrete insulin
• Involved in the activation of vitamin D, which is important for the pancreas to produce and secrete insulin

References:

Kaiyi Chi et al. Higher dietary magnesium intake and lower risks of all-cause mortality in diabetes participants: A large cross population cohort study. Diabetic Medicine.

Jia Du et al. L-shaped nonlinear relationship between magnesium intake from diet and supplements and the risk of diabetic nephropathy: a cross-sectional study. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2025

Abdul Basit et al. Impact of oral magnesium supplementation on glycemic and cardiometabolic outcomes in prediabetic adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders. 2026