Oral magnesium supplementation improves glycaemic status in subjects with prediabetes and hypomagnesaemia: A double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial.

AIM: This study evaluated the efficacy of oral magnesium supplementation in the reduction of plasma glucose levels in adults with prediabetes and hypomagnesaemia. METHODS: A total of 116 men and non-pregnant women, aged 30 to 65 years with hypomagnesaemia and newly diagnosed with prediabetes, were enrolled into a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial to receive either 30 mL of MgCl2 5% solution (equivalent to 382 mg of magnesium) or an inert placebo solution once daily for four months. The primary trial endpoint was the efficacy of magnesium supplementation in reducing plasma glucose levels. RESULTS: At baseline, there were no significant statistical differences in terms of anthropometric and biochemical variables between individuals in the supplement and placebo groups. At the end of follow-up, fasting (86.9 ± 7.9 and 98.3 ± 4.6 mg/dL, respectively; P = 0.004) and post-load glucose (124.7 ± 33.4 and 136.7 ± 23.9 mg/dL, respectively; P = 0.03) levels, HOMA-IR indices (2.85 ± 1.0 and 4.1 ± 2.7, respectively; P = 0.04) and triglycerides (166.4 ± 90.6 and 227.0 ± 89.7, respectively; P = 0.009) were significantly decreased, whereas HDL cholesterol (45.6 ± 10.9 and 46.8 ± 9.2 mg/dL, respectively; P = 0.04) and serum magnesium (1.96 ± 0.27 and 1.60 ± 0.26 mg/dL, respectively; P = 0.005) levels were significantly increased in those taking MgCl2 compared with the controls. A total of 34 (29.4%) people improved their glucose status (50.8% and 7.0% in the magnesium and placebo groups, respectively; P < 0.0005). CONCLUSION: Our results show that magnesium supplementation reduces plasma glucose levels, and improves the glycaemic status of adults with prediabetes and hypomagnesaemia.

Hypertriglyceridemia is associated with development of metabolic glucose disorders, irrespective of glucose and insulin levels: a 15-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Because the role of 2-h postload glucose and insulin levels as confounders in the relationship between hypertriglyceridemia and development of metabolic glucose disorders (MGD) has not been elucidated, the aim of this study was to determine whether triglyceride levels ≥ 1.7 mmol/L are a risk factor of developing MGD in otherwise healthy men and women. METHODS: A total of 341 healthy men and non-pregnant women, 30 to 50 years of age, were enrolled in a 15-year follow-up study and allocated into the exposed (triglycerides ≥ 1.7 mmol/L) and non-exposed (triglycerides <1.7 mmol/L) groups. Follow-up visits were scheduled every 3 years to complete 5 visits (mean 3.8 visits). At final follow-up, about 15 years later (mean 13.6 years), contact was re-established in 236 individuals to complete 3540 person-years of follow-up. At baseline, all subjects in both groups were required to be free of impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), IFG+IGT, and type 2 diabetes. RESULTS: The Poisson regression models, adjusted by age, sex, family history of diabetes, waist circumference, body mass index, total body fat, blood pressure, fasting and postload glucose, fasting and postload insulin, and HOMA-IR index, showed a significant association between triglycerides ≥ 1.7 mmol/L and IFG (relative risk - RR - 1.40; 95% CI 1.2-2.2), IGT (RR 1.60; 95% CI 1.3-2.2), IFG+IGT (RR 1.80; 95% CI 1.5-2.7), and type 2 diabetes (RR 3.0; 95% CI 2.5-3.8). CONCLUSIONS: Serum triglyceride levels ≥ 1.7 mmol/L are an independent risk factor of developing IFG, IGT, IFG+IGT, and type 2 diabetes in young and middle-aged, men and women.

Birth status, child growth, and adult outcomes in low- and middle-income countries.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of being born preterm or small for gestational age (SGA) on several adult outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: We analyzed data for 4518 adult participants in 5 birth cohorts from Brazil, Guatemala, India, the Philippines, and South Africa. RESULTS: In the study population, 12.8% of males and 11.9% of females were born preterm, and 26.8% of males and 22.4% of females were born term but SGA. Adults born preterm were 1.11 cm shorter (95% CI, 0.57-1.65 cm), and those born term but SGA were 2.35 cm shorter (95% CI, 1.93-2.77 cm) compared with those born at term and appropriate size for gestational age. Blood pressure and blood glucose level did not differ by birth category. Compared with those born term and at appropriate size for gestational age, schooling attainment was 0.44 years lower (95% CI, 0.17-0.71 years) in those born preterm and 0.41 years lower (95% CI, 0.20-0.62 years) in those born term but SGA. CONCLUSION: Being born preterm or term but SGA is associated with persistent deficits in adult height and schooling, but is not related to blood pressure or blood glucose level in low- and middle-income settings. Increased postnatal growth is associated with gains in height and schooling regardless of birth status, but not with increases in blood pressure or blood glucose level.