Magnesium and potassium supplementation in the prevention of diabetic vascular disease.

Vascular disease underlies many of the complications of diabetes and includes coronary, cerebral, renal, peripheral and retinal vascular abnormalities. Magnesium (Mg) and potassium (K) deficiencies occur frequently in diabetic patients. Because of the vasoconstrictive effects of hypomagnesemia and hypokalemia and the adverse effects of Mg and K deficiency on carbohydrate metabolism we hypothesize that routine Mg and K supplementation of all hypomagnesemic diabetics will ameliorate or prevent the ravages of diabetic vascular disease.