Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2021 Jan 22;13(2):320.
doi: 10.3390/nu13020320.

Magnesium in Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, and Type 2 Diabetes

Gabriele Piuri  1 , Monica Zocchi  1 , Matteo Della Porta  1 , Valentina Ficara  1 , Michele Manoni  2 , Gian Vincenzo Zuccotti  1   3 , Luciano Pinotti  2 , Jeanette A Maier  1 , Roberta Cazzola  1
Affiliations
Review

Magnesium in Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, and Type 2 Diabetes

Gabriele Piuri et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Magnesium (Mg2+) deficiency is probably the most underestimated electrolyte imbalance in Western countries. It is frequent in obese patients, subjects with type-2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, both in adulthood and in childhood. This narrative review aims to offer insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms linking Mg2+ deficiency with obesity and the risk of developing metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Literature highlights critical issues about the treatment of Mg2+ deficiency, such as the lack of a clear definition of Mg2+ nutritional status, the use of different Mg2+ salts and dosage and the different duration of the Mg2+ supplementation. Despite the lack of agreement, an appropriate dietary pattern, including the right intake of Mg2+, improves metabolic syndrome by reducing blood pressure, hyperglycemia, and hypertriglyceridemia. This occurs through the modulation of gene expression and proteomic profile as well as through a positive influence on the composition of the intestinal microbiota and the metabolism of vitamins B1 and D.

Keywords: gut microbiota; magnesium; magnesium deficiency; magnesium supplementation; metabolic syndrome; obesity; type 2 diabetes; vitamin D.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Physio-pathological mechanisms of magnesium deficiency in obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Links between Mg2+ and insulin signaling. For details, please see the text.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Beneficial effects of magnesium supplementation in hypomagnesemic patients with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for magnesium. Efsa J. 2015;13:4186. doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4186. - DOI
    1. Jahnen-Dechent W., Ketteler M. Magnesium basics. CKJ Clin. Kidney J. 2012;5:3–14. doi: 10.1093/ndtplus/sfr163. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. De Baaij J.H.F., Hoenderop J.G.J., Bindels R.J.M. Magnesium in man: Implications for health and disease. Physiol. Rev. 2015;95:1–46. doi: 10.1152/physrev.00012.2014. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Saltiel A.R., Olefsky J.M. Inflammatory mechanisms linking obesity and metabolic disease. J. Clin. Investig. 2017;127:1–4. doi: 10.1172/JCI92035. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Von Ehrlich B., Barbagallo M., Classen H.G., Guerrero-Romero F., Mooren F.C., Rodriguez-Moran M., Vierling W., Vormann J., Kisters K. Significance of magnesium in insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes—Recommendations of the Association of Magnesium Research e.V. Trace Elem. Electrolytes. 2017;34:124–129. doi: 10.5414/TEX01473. - DOI