Magnesiumhilfe.de

About the consequences of untreated
magnesium deficiency
for developing diabetes mellitus – a case report
omag-Zaragoza
D.-H.Liebscher (Berlin), D.-E.Liebscher (Potsdam)
Self-Help Organisation Mineral Imbalances (Berlin),
http://www.magnesiumhilfe.de/
The experience of our group of patients that are affected by
Case report
magnesium-deficiency tetany (among them 7 families) is that
about a woman now 86 years old, born in 1914
the prevalence and importance of this disease is generally not
1. The family anamnesis contains a diagnosis made by R. FEHLINGER in 1980: Magnesium-
taken into consideration sufficiently. Here we report a case of
deficiency tetany of the daugther (born in 1947), of the grandson (born in 1972) and of the
granddaughter (born in 1974). Nevertheless, the family history was not taken into account by
untreated magnesium deficiency that resulted in symptoms of
the practioners of the described old femal patient - until 1997.
2. In contrast to the clinical signs of magnesium deficiency of the elderly patient during her who-
diabetes mellitus and hypertension.
le life (i.e. becoming easily tired and exhausted, which disabled her for professional duty, no
tolerance of stress, suffering from nervous tension, anxiety, nervous and trembling movements,
unsteady walking, unwillingness to accept criticism), the diagnosis of hereditary magnesium de-
ficiency was not made in that time.
The case study of a woman (now 86 years old) shows that ma-
3. Several stays in different neurological and psychiatric clinics were nessessary. The diagnosis
of a so-called brain-organic psycho-syndrome was repeatly found.
gnesium deficiency can lead to heavy symptoms of diseases that
4. Only in 1991, the patient was seen by R. FEHLINGER. He gave the advice to try a magnesium
are treated usually to relieve these symptoms. The magnesium
therapy also in the case of this elderly patient. But the practioners of the patient did not do so.
5. In 1992 the patient was absolutely immobilised.
deficiency is rarely diagnosed and even more rarely taken se-
6. The medication by the practioner in the time
Nifedipin 20 mg (Nifedipat retard)
between 1992 and 1997 is shown here:
Nifedipin 10 mg (Nifedipat 10)
riously, because its symptoms are often suspected of being eph-
If a non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
Ginkgo-biloba (R¨okan)
(NIDDM) was present at all, apparently it was
Vitamin B6
emeral or even natural. Nevertheless, in our case magnesium
not nessessary to treat it.
During that time (after 1991) the patient took only rarely magnesium (and dosed too low, about
substitution was the only causal therapy.
300 mg per day) when the family members reminded her. After intake of magnesium salts some
changes were always observed: cheering up, clear speach and the ability to sit alone with help in
the bed.
The explanation is that the stress-sensitive magnesium-
7. In 1997, after an acute bronchitis with fever a new hospitalisation followed. But during this
hospital stay the magnesium therapy was stopped, because the patient had a serum value of 0.8
deficiency patients can develop a dysregulation of the carbohy-
mmol / liter magnesium. The stress of the patient was dramatically increased. The diagnoses un-
der stress conditions in the hospital – without magnesium therapy - were essential hypertension
drate metabolism in particular in situations characterised by
and diabetes (NIDDM), and the patient got symptomatical medication against. It was not possi-
ble to distinguish between adverse reactions of the drugs or the effect of the primary magnesium
magnesium deficiency and high stress (anxiety and excitement)
deficiency. The patient suffered from a severe depression and wished to die. After the family
protested and insisted on giving her magnesium the patient was discharged from the hospital.
that results in a high glucose level.
Magnesium deficiency is the cause,
diabetes mellitus the result
It is known that magnesium is
needed for insulin synthesis and
Daily allowance of tetanic patients (substitution in mg per diem)
secretion, for insulin sensitivity of
average intake for nutrition habits 1985-1989
cells as well as for the transport of
D.A.CH. recommendation
extreme allowance described
glucose into the cells, and for the
functioning of the key enzymes in
experience of our SHO
the glucose metabolism.
8. The patient left the hospital with this medication:
9. After changing the place of residence a new
As experienced by our organisation, the life-long high dosage
practitioner and a neurologist diagnosed the
Amlodipin 5 mg (Norvasc)
hereditary magnesium deficiency. After that,
Ramipril 2,5 mg (Delix 2,5)
of magnesium is essential for patients suffering from genetical-
a continuous life-long high-dosed magnesium
Xipamid 10 mg. (Aquaphor 10)
therapy (900 - 1200 mg magnesium per day
Metformin 850 mg (Mescorit 850)
ly caused magnesium deficiency. This life-long therapy protects
in the form of magnesium citrate) was started
in addition to the medication against diabetes and hypertension.
this group of patients from developing symptoms of other
10. Under this therapy the stress sensitivity was strongly reduced. The depression phases became
illnesses – among them diabetes mellitus too – that cannot be
rare. The patient was able to sit alone in the bed and to write some cheerful poems.
11. Step by step the doses of the antihypertensiva and the antidiabetics could be reduced. Simul-
treated successfully by other traditional medications.
taneously the side effects of these drugs were reduced, for instance hypoglycemic phases in spite
of the treatment with metformin, or occasional mental absence.
1. All regularly treated diabetic patients that belong to families
which show magnesium-deficiency symptoms must receive
12. The actual diagnosis 1. high-dosed magnesium (900 - 1200 mg Mg / day) to treat
high-dosed magnesium at least in addition.
and therapy:
the hereditary magnesium deficiency and
In 2001 the now 86 years 2. high-dosed calcium and vitamin D to treat osteoporosis
2. As it is more difficult to diagnose magnesium deficiency
old patient is getting: The
patient is now almost wi- respecting the long time of immobilisation and her age.
than diabetes, all diabetic patients should get magnesium
thout pain and has no se-
condary illnesses. The se-
Further medications against diabetes and
therapy to test whether a reduction of antidiabetics is possible.
rum values of glucose and
the blood pressure are
hypertension are not nessessary any more
Magnesium must be given already before hypomagnesiaemia
nearly normalised with re-
can be diagnosed.
gard to her age.
in this case.
7euromag-Zaragoza 2001

Source: http://www.magnesiumhilfe.de/documents/poster200109.pdf