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. 2017;32(1):38-45.
doi: 10.15605/jafes.032.01.07. Epub 2017 May 5.

Efficacy of Magnesium Supplementation on Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes Patients: A Meta-analysis

Francis Bryant Chua  1 , Jude Erric Cinco  2 , Elizabeth Paz-Pacheco  1
Affiliations

Efficacy of Magnesium Supplementation on Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes Patients: A Meta-analysis

Francis Bryant Chua et al. J ASEAN Fed Endocr Soc. 2017.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate if magnesium supplementation, in addition to standard therapy, improves fasting blood sugar (FBS) and/or glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) compared to placebo or other comparator.

Methodology: We searched MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, Acta Medica Philippina, Health Research and Development Information Network (HERDIN) and references of reviewed journals from 1966 to July 2015 using the following search terms: "magnesium" OR "magnesium supplementation" OR "magnesium replacement", AND randomized controlled trial AND diabetes OR diabetes mellitus OR non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus OR diabetic OR diab* (with MeSH, where available). Studies were retrieved and rated independently using the standards provided by The Cochrane Collaboration. High quality trials were included in a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Results: Of the 689 records screened, 10 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis and 7 studies in the meta-analysis. Pooled data showed a non-significant trend towards improvement in glycemic control in the magnesium-treated group (mean difference -0.19, CI -0.58 to 0.21). There was a stronger but still non-significant trend in T2DM patients with hypomagnesemia (mean difference -1.16, CI -2.92 to 0.6).

Conclusion: Routine magnesium supplementation for improvement in glycemic control in T2DM patients cannot be recommended based on data from included studies in this meta-analysis.

Keywords: diabetes; glycemic control; magnesium; meta-analysis; supplementation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart for article selection for meta-analysis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Weighted mean difference and forrest plot of FBS levels in magnesium-treated and placebo groups.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Weighted mean difference and forrest plot of HbA1c in magnesium-treated and placebo groups.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Weighted mean difference in HbA1c of magnesium-treated and placebo groups among subjects with hypomagnesemia (serum Mg <0.75 mmol/L).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Weighted mean difference in HbA1c of magnesium-treated and placebo groups, analyzed without the study with severe hypomagnesemia (Rodriguez-Morán, 2003).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Funnel plot of included studies with FBS as an outcome measure.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Funnel plot of included studies with HbA1c as an outcome measure.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Funnel plot of included studies on subjects with hypomagnesemia at baseline, with HbA1c as an outcome measure.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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