Magnesium–zinc–calcium–vitamin D co-supplementation improves glycemic control and markers of cardiometabolic risk in gestational diabetes: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Abstract

To the best our knowledge, data on the effects of magnesium–zinc–calcium–vitamin D co-supplementation on glycemic control and markers of cardiometabolic risk in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are scarce. The purpose of this study was to establish the effects of magnesium–zinc–calcium–vitamin D co-supplementation on glycemic control and markers of cardiometabolic risk of GDM patients. Sixty patients with GDM, aged 18–40 years, were randomized into 2 groups to intake either magnesium–zinc–calcium–vitamin D co-supplements or placebo (n = 30 each group) for 6 weeks in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Fasting blood samples were taken at baseline and week 6 to quantify related markers. After the 6-week intervention, compared with the placebo, magnesium–zinc–calcium–vitamin D co-supplementation resulted in significant reductions in fasting plasma glucose (−0.37 ± 0.09 vs. +0.01 ± 0.09 mmol/L, P = 0.003), serum insulin levels (−21.0 ± 4.8 vs. +7.2 ± 4.8 pmol/L, P < 0.001), homeostatic model of assessment for insulin resistance (−1.0 ± 1.1 vs. +0.3 ± 1.3, P < 0.001), and a significant increase in quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (+0.02 ± 0.03 vs. −0.002 ± 0.03, P = 0.003). In addition, magnesium–zinc–calcium–vitamin D co-supplementation significantly decreased serum triglycerides (−0.25 ± 0.10 vs. +0.34 ± 0.10 mmol/L, P = 0.001) and very-low-density–cholesterol concentrations (−0.11 ± 0.04 vs. +0.15 ± 0.04 mmol/L, P = 0.001) compared with the placebo. Overall, the results of this study demonstrated that magnesium–zinc–calcium–vitamin D co-supplementation for 6 weeks among patients with GDM had beneficial effects on glycemic control and few markers of cardiometabolic risk.