Relationships between serum and dietary magnesium, calcium, and metabolic parameters in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Magnesium and calcium are essential minerals in several enzymatic activities that modulate essential biological functions. Hypomagnesemia occurs in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), especially those with poor metabolic control. Dietary magnesium and calcium intake play a protective role in the development of T2DM. This research aimed to investigate the association of dietary and serum magnesium and calcium with metabolic control parameters in diabetic women.This case-control study was conducted on 80 women, including 40 patients diagnosed with T2DM and 40 healthy controls aged 35-60 years. Some anthropometric measurements of the individuals were taken, and their body mass index was calculated. In addition, some biochemical parameters, serum magnesium, and calcium were analyzed. A validated 96-item quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to obtain dietary magnesium and calcium intake data.Serum magnesium levels were lower in subjects with diabetes than in controls, and there was a similar incidence of hypomagnesemia in T2DM patients and controls, but not statistically significant (p > 0.05). In T2DM patients, there was a statistically significant inverse association between HbA1c and serum magnesium (p < 0.05). Dietary magnesium intake was inversely associated with HOMA-IR scores (p < 0.05) but had a positive association with serum magnesium levels in patients with T2DM (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the calcium/magnesium ratio between T2DM patients and healthy controls (p > 0.05). In a multiple linear regression analysis, dietary magnesium intake and HbA1c were found to be significantly related to altered serum magnesium in T2DM patients.The present findings suggest that lower serum magnesium levels were associated with higher HbA1c levels in subjects with T2DM. Increased dietary magnesium intake in T2DM may enhance HOMA-IR scores and serum magnesium levels.