Serum ionized magnesium in diabetic older persons

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Endocrinology
• Metabolic Disorders

Background:

• Magnesium metabolism alterations are linked to type 2 diabetes (T2D) pathophysiology, especially in older adults.
• Identifying magnesium deficits in T2D patients is crucial for managing the condition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate serum total magnesium (Mg-tot) and serum ionized magnesium (Mg-ion) in older adults with T2D.
• To explore clinically applicable methods for detecting magnesium deficit in this population.

Main Methods:

• Measured Mg-tot and Mg-ion in 105 older adults with T2D and 100 age-matched controls.
• Analyzed associations between magnesium levels, fasting blood glucose (FBG), and HbA1c.

Main Results:

• Mg-ion concentrations were significantly lower in T2D patients compared to controls (p<0.001).
• Mg-tot was also lower in T2D patients (p<0.05), with significant overlap between groups.
• 44.8% of T2D patients had low Mg-ion, versus none in controls.
• Both Mg-tot and Mg-ion were independently associated with FBG, and Mg-ion with HbA1c in T2D patients.

Conclusions:

• Magnesium serum concentration alterations are common in older adults with T2D.
• Mg-ion evaluation is valuable for identifying subclinical magnesium depletion, even with normal Mg-tot.
• The strong associations reinforce the link between magnesium homeostasis and glucose metabolism in T2D.