The metabolic triad refers to the three potentially serious health conditions of heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Naturopath and medical practitioner Dr. Carolyn Dean discusses this metabolic triad on her blog, specifically looking at the failings of allopathic medicine in curing or alleviating symptoms of these three conditions.
Talking about what she calls the ‘blood pressure spiral’, Dr. Carolyn Dean points to the over-use of drug-based treatments for these conditions as one of the factors contributing to patients feeling worse. Many of the drugs doctors will typically prescribe for heart disease, diabetes and obesity are known to lower the absorption rate of magnesium within the body, resulting in depleted levels of this essential mineral.
Dr. Dean argues that allopathic doctors should be focusing on increasing the magnesium levels of patients presenting with these conditions as a first port of call, without immediately resorting to medications. Studies have shown that in many cases, increasing the levels of magnesium in the body can have a dramatic positive effect on patients presenting with any of the metabolic triad conditions.
The infographic attachment shows some statistics for magnesium levels among the population of the United States.
Magnesium for Weight Loss
Studies have shown that magnesium can help our bodies better regulate both insulin levels and blood sugar, which can help overweight or obese individuals to begin to lose weight and become healthier as a result.
One study from 2013 identified a higher intake of magnesium with better control of glucose and insulin levels in the blood. The same study found that people with a higher intake of magnesium were less likely to suffer from water retention and bloating.
While taking magnesium alone will not directly result in weight loss, when combined with exercise and a healthy, nutritionally balanced diet, it can improve the results. Many of the most magnesium-rich foods already form part of a healthy diet, so adding ingredients such as dark leafy greens, fresh fish, whole grains and yogurt will increase the chances of losing weight significantly.
The embedded short video shows how to calculate body mass index, which can determine whether a person is obese.
Magnesium for Diabetes
The benefits of magnesium in controlling blood sugar can also be highly beneficial for patients with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance can occur when the magnesium levels in the body become too low. Patients with both types of diabetes often present with magnesium deficiency, although it is more prevalent with type 2 diabetes.
Taking a magnesium supplement can therefore help control the condition by increasing the level of magnesium in the blood. Magnesium supplements have also been used with success in people with pre-diabetes, in some cases preventing the condition from deteriorating into type 2 diabetes.
Magnesium for Heart Disease
A study from 2000 published in the Circulation journal showed that taking magnesium supplements daily can help protect our hearts. The study found that patients with heart disease who regularly took a twice-daily magnesium supplement were able to exercise for longer periods of time without placing too much stress on the heart. The magnesium helped the blood vessels in the heart function better and the lead author of the study recommended magnesium supplements to anyone suffering from heart disease, even when tests showed normal levels of magnesium in the body.
You can learn more about how magnesium supplements can promote overall good health and well-being in the PDF attachment to this post.