Effect of a low magnesium diet on in vitro glucose uptake in sucrose fed rats

Dietary magnesium deficiency and excess sucrose in the diet have been shown to play an important role in the development of insulin resistance. This study is an extension of a previously published experiment (Magnes Res 2004; 17: 293-300) and is focused on the effect of a low magnesium diet on in vitro glucose uptake in sucrose fed rats. For this purpose male Wistar rats were divided into four groups and fed control, high sucrose, low magnesium and high sucrose low magnesium diets for a period of three months. Serum and erythrocyte magnesium values demonstrated a significant drop in the low magnesium and high sucrose low magnesium groups. A significant increase was observed in the body weight of the high sucrose group, whereas the weights of animals in the high sucrose low magnesium group remained unchanged from controls. The biochemical analysis showed a significant decrease in in vitro glucose uptake in liver, muscle and diaphragm of rats consuming high sucrose, low magnesium and high sucrose low magnesium diets. The maximum reduction, however, was observed in the combined high sucrose low magnesium group. These findings seem to suggest the potential of a high sucrose low magnesium diet to cause insulin resistance by reducing glucose uptake in target tissues of rats.