Zinc Supplement May Help Control Diabetes

Zinc Supplement May Help Control Diabetes

New research shows that zinc supplements may be beneficial for the prevention and management of diabetes. These findings, published in the article “Effect of Zinc Supplementation on Insulin Secretion: Interaction Between Zinc and SLC30A8 Genotype in Old Order Amish,” appeared in the October issue of Diabetologia—and demonstrate a potential treatment modality that is very accessible.

Past studies have demonstrated that people with type 2 diabetes have low levels of zinc in their bloodstreams. On the contrary, people with high levels of zinc in their bloodstreams are less likely to develop this disease. There are more than 50 genetic variations linked to an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, and the researchers hoped to discover why zinc supplements are more beneficial to some people vs others in the prevention and management of diabetes. A deeper understanding of this relationship may significantly impact how this disease is managed.

Fifty-five healthy patients without diabetes were studied in an Old Order Amish Community in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. This group was selected due to its uniform lifestyle and widely understood genealogy. Because one specific protein is involved in transporting zinc within cells that secrete insulin, the researchers conducted DNA sequencing to determine which participants presented with this alteration—and 23 participants did while 32 did not.

Both groups were given zinc twice a day (50 mg) for 14 days, after which glucose was injected and blood sugar and insulin levels were measured. Results showed the participants without the protein alteration had a 26% increase in insulin response compared to those with the alteration. This led the team to conclude that zinc may be beneficial in the management of diabetes among individuals without this genetic alteration who develop type 2 diabetes. More large-scale studies using this model with a control group are warranted to confirm these findings.

Hygiene Connection E-Newsletter

December 2014