An inverse relationship between cumulating components of the metabolic syndrome and serum magnesium levels

doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2008.07.001

Nutrition Research

Volume 28, Issue 10, October 2008, Pages 659-663

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2008.07.001 Get rights and content

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome has been defined as the presence of abdominal obesity combined with 2 of the following factors: hypertension, dyslipidemia, and impaired glucose tolerance, or diabetes mellitus. Magnesium is an essential cofactor for more than 300 enzymes involved in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. In this study, we enrolled 117 consecutive overweight and obese patients and we measured serum magnesium levels together with fasting serum glucose, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triacylglycerols. A strong inverse relationship between magnesium levels in serum and the presence of metabolic syndrome was noticed. Moreover, magnesium levels decreased as the number of components of metabolic syndrome increased. Also, there is an inverse relationship between serum magnesium levels and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. We concluded that decreased levels of serum magnesium are associated with increased risk for metabolic syndrome, perhaps by a low-grade inflammation process.

Introduction

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic disorders including obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia and impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes mellitus [1], [2]. Magnesium is the second most abundant intracellular cation [3]. It is a critical cofactor for more than 300 enzymes and also a direct antagonist of intracellular calcium [4], [5], [6], [7]. There is growing evidence that magnesium intake has a great effect on insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and hypertension [6], [7], [8], [9]. Magnesium is a component of grains and is found in the fibrous component of cereal plants [10], [11], [12], [13]. In fact, magnesium is found primarily in bran and germ, most of which are removed in refined grain, and therefore, magnesium content is higher in whole grains that in refined grains. Experimental studies suggest that magnesium may regulate cellular glucose metabolism and may influence insulin secretion by interacting with cellular calcium homeostasis [11]. Epidemiologic studies also confirm that magnesium intake improves insulin sensitivity [14]. The levels of magnesium among people with metabolic syndrome have already been assessed, and low levels have been found [15]. Based on these data, our hypothesis was that decreased serum magnesium levels would be observed in obese and overweight patients with the metabolic syndrome. Therefore, the aim of the present work was to associate serum magnesium levels with the presence of metabolic syndrome among overweight and obese individuals. Whether increased magnesium intake from supplements, whole grains, and/or green leafy vegetables would ameliorate patients with the metabolic syndrome remains to be elucidated. Such a notion would further enhance the importance of nutrition research in the metabolic syndrome field.

Section snippets

Subjects

Between January 2007 and April 2007, we enrolled 117 consecutive, overweight, and obese individuals who had visited Polykliniki General Hospital in Athens. Because measurements were performed on human subjects, we have obtained approval for this research by the scientific committee of Polykliniki General Hospital (decision's protocol no. 31/20-09-2006). Consent from the subjects that were involved in the study was also obtained.

Anthropometric measures

Height was measured, to the nearest 0.5 cm, without shoes; and

Results

Table 1 illustrates the characteristics of the participants by metabolic syndrome status. The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome is high in our sample (ie, 70%), reflecting the excess body weight the participants had by the design of the study. We observed that magnesium levels were 9% lower in people with metabolic syndrome (P < .001), whereas hs-CRP protein levels were 110% higher in people with the syndrome (P < .001). A progressive decrease was observed in magnesium levels according to

Discussion

Our study revealed that serum magnesium levels were low in patients with the metabolic syndrome, irrespective of various potential confounders. Low magnesium levels are associated with insulin resistance, hypertension, and the metabolic syndrome [11]. The beneficial effect of magnesium on type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and the metabolic syndrome is probably mediated by improving the low-grade inflammation. Particularly, an inverse association between magnesium and hs-CRP levels has

Acknowledgment

The authors are indebted to the biochemistry department of the Polykliniki General Hospital for conducting the analyses. In addition, we would like to thank the participants that were involved in this study.

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We calculated ORs and their 95% CIs if a study reported the number of participants based on their Mg consumption strata. Eight studies also compared mean ± SD of serum Mg level in participants with MetS and their controls [20,26–28,36,39–41]; therefore, we used them to calculate unstandardized mean difference in serum Mg levels as effect size for another meta-analysis. Overall effect was derived by using random effects model, which takes between-study variations into account [37].
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Research ArticlesAn inverse relationship between cumulating components of the metabolic syndrome and serum magnesium levels

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Subjects

Anthropometric measures

Results

Discussion

Acknowledgment

Am J Clin Nutr

Am J Clin Nutr

Diabetes Metab

Am J Hypertens

Curr Probl Cardiol

Biochim Biophys Acta

Metabolic syndrome-a new worldwide definition. A consensus statement from the International Diabetes Federation

Diabet Med

Screening for metabolic syndrome in hypertensive and/or obese subjects registered in primary health care in Hungary

Med Sci Monit

Magnesium: metabolism and requirements

Nutr Hosp

Hypomagnesemia and diabetes mellitus. A review of clinical implications

Arch Intern Med

Magnesium metabolism in health and disease

Dis Mon

Can a Mediterranean diet moderate the development and clinical progression of coronary heart disease? A systematic review

Med Sci Monit

New data about the effect of oral physiological magnesium supplements on several cardiovascular risk factors

Magnes Res

Serum and dietary magnesium and the risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus

Arch Intern Med

Familial components of the multiple metabolic syndrome: the ARIC study

Diabetologica

Magnesium Intake, C-reactive protein, and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in middle-aged and older U.S. women

Diabetes Care

Research Articles
An inverse relationship between cumulating components of the metabolic syndrome and serum magnesium levels