Authors
Eriksson J. Kohvakka A.
Institution
Malmi Municipal Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Title
Magnesium and ascorbic acid supplementation in
diabetes mellitus.
Source
Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism. 39(4):217-23, 1995.
Abstract
The effect of magnesium (Mg) and ascorbic acid (AA)
supplementation on metabolic control was assessed in 56 outpatient diabetics.
A 90-day run-in period was followed by two 90-day treatment periods, during
which Mg (600 mg/day) and AA (2 g/day) were administered in a randomized
double-blind cross-over fashion. A decrease in systolic and diastolic blood
pressure (132 +/- 3 vs. 138 +/- 4 and 77 +/- 2 vs. 82 +/- 2 mm Hg; p < 0.05)
was observed in insulin-dependent diabetes
mellitus subjects during Mg supplementation. No beneficial
effect of Mg supplementation was observed on glycemic control, lipids or
blood pressure in non-insulin-dependent diabetes
mellitus (NIDDM) subjects. AA supplementation improved
glycemic control among NIDDM subjects and both fasting blood glucose (9.1 +/-
0.5 vs. 10.1 +/- 0.6 mmol/l; p < 0.05) and HbA1c (8.5 +/- 0.3 vs. 9.3 +/-
0.3%; p < 0.05) improved. Beneficial effects of AA supplementation on
cholesterol (5.9 +/- 0.2 vs. 6.2 +/- 0.2 mmol/l; p < 0.05) and triglycerides
(2.2 +/- 0.2 vs. 2.5 +/- 0.2; p < 0.05) were also observed in NIDDM subjects.
The results suggest that high-dose AA supplementation may have a beneficial
effect in NIDDM subjects on both glycemic control and blood lipids.