Magnesium deficiency and diabetes mellitus. Causes and effects.

A large body of evidence demonstrates the prevalence and adverse clinical consequences of magnesium deficiency in patients with diabetes mellitus. It would be prudent for physicians who treat these patients to consider magnesium deficiency as a contributing factor in many diabetic complications and in exacerbation of the disease itself. Repletion of the deficiency or prophylactic supplementation with oral magnesium may help avoid or ameliorate such complications as arrhythmias, hypertension, and sudden cardiac death and may even improve the course of the diabetic condition.