Magnesium is an essential nutrient that contributes to overall health. It plays a key role in several bodily processes, including the regulation of muscle and nerve function, blood sugar and blood pressure control, protein synthesis and the formation of strong bones.

Multiple studies have found that magnesium helps reduce insulin resistance — a major factor in the development and progression of Type 2 diabetes — in both diabetic and non-diabetic individuals.

In fact, a recent review published in Pharmacological Research revealed that supplementing with magnesium for more than three months reduces insulin resistance and fasting blood glucose levels, even in people without diabetes.

Magnesium supplementation reduces insulin resistance

The review covered 21 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the effects of magnesium on insulin sensitivity and glucose control in both diabetic and non-diabetic participants.

Participants involved in the RCTs supplemented with magnesium for one to six months. Magnesium dosage ranged from 300 milligrams (mg) to 600 mg per day.

In all the RCTs, researchers assessed the impact of magnesium supplementation on the participants’ plasma glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), which indicates the amount of glucose attached to hemoglobin, and insulin, the hormone that regulates the amount of glucose in the blood.

The results showed that magnesium supplementation for more than three months significantly reduced fasting blood glucose and insulin levels in both diabetic and non-diabetic participants.

Overall, the findings suggest that magnesium is a promising supplement for people who have or are at great risk of glucose metabolic disorders like Type 2 diabetes.

High dietary magnesium intake improves insulin resistance

In 2013, researchers from the Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada also examined the impact of magnesium on insulin resistance in healthy participants with no history of chronic diseases.

The researchers first assessed the participants’ dietary patterns using food frequency questionnaires. They then fed the responses into a program that calculated each participant’s daily intake of magnesium.

The results showed that participants with a higher intake of magnesium had lower insulin levels. They were also either overweight or obese.

These findings suggest an inverse relationship between magnesium intake and insulin resistance. They also show that overweight or obese individuals can benefit more from increasing their intake of magnesium-rich foods.

In fact, researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts also report that eating a diet rich in magnesium can reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes because of magnesium’s impact on insulin sensitivity.