Does Zinc Really “Metal” with Diabetes? The Epidemiologic Evidence (original) (raw)
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Biological Trace Element Research, 2019
Zinc (Zn) plays crucial roles in mammalian metabolism. There is increasing interest about the potential beneficial effects of Zn on the prevention or treatment of non-communicable diseases. This review critically analyzes the information related to the role of Zn on the metabolic syndrome (MetS) as well as type 2 diabetes (T2D), and summarizes the biological basis of these potential effects of Zn. There are several mechanisms by which Zn may help to prevent the development or progression of MetS and T2D, respectively. Zn is involved in both insulin secretion and action in peripheral tissues. Specifically, Zn has insulin-mimetic properties that increase the activity of the insulin signaling pathway. Zn modulates long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids levels through its action on the absorption of essential fatty acids in the intestine and its subsequent desaturation. Zn is also involved in both the assembly of chylomicrons and lipoproteins as well as their clearance, and thus, plays a role in lipolysis regulation. Finally, Zn has been found to play a role in redox metabolism, and in turn, on blood pressure. The evidence related to the association between Zn status and occurrence of MetS is inconsistent. Although there are several studies reporting an inverse relationship between Zn status or dietary Zn intake and MetS prevalence, others found a direct relationship between Zn status and MetS prevalence. Intervention studies also provide confusing information about this issue, making it hard to reach firm conclusions. Zn as part of the treatment for patients with T2D has been shown to have positive responses in terms of glucose control outcomes, but only among those with Zn deficiency.
Zinc and diabetes mellitus: understanding molecular mechanisms and clinical implications
DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015
Background: Diabetes mellitus is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Studies have shown that Zinc has numerous beneficial effects in both type-1 and type-2 diabetes. We aim to evaluate the literature on the mechanisms and molecular level effects of Zinc on glycaemic control, β-cell function, pathogenesis of diabetes and its complications. Methods: A review of published studies reporting mechanisms of action of Zinc in diabetes was undertaken in PubMed and SciVerse Scopus medical databases using the following search terms in article title, abstract or keywords; ("Zinc" or "Zn") and ("mechanism" or "mechanism of action" or "action" or "effect" or "pathogenesis" or "pathology" or "physiology" or "metabolism") and ("diabetes" or "prediabetes" or "sugar" or "glucose" or "insulin"). Results: The literature search identified the following number of articles in the two databases; PubMed (n = 1799) and SciVerse Scopus (n = 1879). After removing duplicates the total number of articles included in the present review is 111. Our results show that Zinc plays an important role in β-cell function, insulin action, glucose homeostasis and the pathogenesis of diabetes and its complications. Conclusion: Numerous in-vitro and in-vivo studies have shown that Zinc has beneficial effects in both type-1 and type-2 diabetes. However further randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled clinical trials conducted for an adequate duration, are required to establish therapeutic safety in humans.
Effectiveness of Zinc Supplementation for Type II Diabetes Prevention: A Systematic Review
BIMIKI (Berkala Ilmiah Mahasiswa Ilmu Keperawatan Indonesia)
Background: The incidence of prediabetes is predicted to continue to increase. Approximately 25% of prediabetes patients develop type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) within 3–5 years. Zinc is known to have a role in the synthesis, storage, secretion, and action of the insulin hormone. Purpose: The aim of the study is to know about the impact of zinc supplementation in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) prevention. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed using the PubMed, Cochrane, and EBSCOHost search engines. The inclusion study includes systematic review and metaanalysis of randomized clinical trials study and randomized clinical study, and we only include the research of the last 10 years. Results: Three RCTs were selected from 175 articles to undergo a critical review with a total of 353 patients with a duration of 6-12 months (level of evidence II-III). The incidence of T2DM in the intervention group decreased significantly (OR: 0.37 [95% CI 0.7-0.8]; RR: 0.44; ARR: 14% [95...
Zinc as a potential coadjuvant in therapy for type 2 diabetes
Food and nutrition bulletin, 2013
Type 2 diabetes is highly prevalent in populations having high rates of overweight and obesity. It is a chronic condition responsible for long-term severe dysfunction of several organs, including the kidneys, heart, blood vessels, and eyes. Although there are a number of pharmacologic products in the market to treat insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion--the most prominent features of this disease--interventions directed at preserving the integrity and function of beta-cells in the long term are less available. The use of some nutrients with important cellular protective roles that may lead to a preservation of beta-cells has not been fully tested; among these, zinc may be an interesting candidate. To assess the potential of zinc supplementation as coadjuvant to diabetes therapy. This article reviews the available information on the use of zinc as part of diabetes therapy. Cellular and animal models provide information on the insulin mimetic action of zinc, as well as it...
Zinc’s role in the glycemic control of patients with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review
Biometals, 2017
Past research has shown the importance of zinc in several metabolic processes, such as the glucidic metabolism. The present systematic review aims to discuss zinc's participation in the glycemic control of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) patients. In order to accomplish that, a systematic search was performed in the Pubmed database using the following indexed and theme-related descriptors: ''zinc'' AND ''type 2 diabetes mellitus'', AND MeSH terms related to glycemic control combined with the boolean operator OR. In total, 1078 articles were retrieved from the research, of which 15 articles of original studies conducted with DM2 patients were included, with three being about the effect of mineral supplementation and 12 reporting observational studies. The main findings of these studies consisted of low body contents of zinc and high excretion of zinc in urine. Hyperglycemia was one of the mechanisms that caused these alterations owing to its interference in zinc reabsorption via renal cells. Another evidence was the negative correlation between the glycated hemoglobin percentage (%HbA1c) and the plasma zinc levels. Additionally, it has been observed that zinc supplementation in DM2 patients has improved glycemic control, since the %HbA1c significantly reduced in these individuals. This present review shows the positive effect of adequate zinc levels on glycemic control, whether it is through dietetic ingestion or supplementation, since its role in insulin homeostasis is clear.
The Utility of Zinc Augmentation in Diabetes - A Narrative Review
Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International, 2021
Diabetes mellitus has sadly become a pandemic, with chronic and debilitating complications which by far are more pronounced in the developing countries of the world. Despite the availability of a wide array of anti-diabetic drugs (both oral and parenteral medications), micro-vascular and macro-vascular diabetes complications are still common. Owing to this sad reality, the place of micronutrients augmentation has come to the frontline of research in diabetes management. Zinc is one of the well-known micro-elements with diverse functions in various physiologic processes in humans. The authors reviewed the role of zinc augmentation in subjects with diabetes generally, both those with complications of diabetes and those without complications. Emphasis was also laid on the modulatory actions of zinc on various diabetes-related processes which include: its anti-oxidant effect; improvement of insulin secretion/sensitivity; increased amylin action; inhibition of gluconeogenesis and atheros...
Effects of zinc supplementation on diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome, 2012
The number of people with diabetes and pre-diabetes are exponentially increasing. Studies on humans have shown the beneficial effects of Zinc supplementation in patients with diabetes. The present study aims to systematically evaluate the literature and meta-analyze the effects of Zinc supplementation on diabetes. A systematic review of published studies reporting the effects of Zinc supplementations on diabetes mellitus was undertaken. The literature search was conducted in the following databases; PubMed, Web of Science and SciVerse Scopus. A meta-analysis of studies examining the effects of Zinc supplementation on clinical and biochemical parameters in patients with diabetes was performed. The total number of articles included in the present review is 25, which included 3 studies on type-1 diabetes and 22 studies on type-2 diabetes. There were 12 studies comparing the effects of Zinc supplementation on fasting blood glucose in patients with type-2 diabetes. The pooled mean difference in fasting blood glucose between Zinc supplemented and placebo groups was −18.13 mg/dl (95%CI:-33.85,-2.41; p < 0.05). 2-h post-prandial blood sugar also shows a similar distinct reduction in (−34.87 mg/dl [95%CI:-75.44; 5.69]) the Zinc treated group. The reduction in HbA1c was −0.54 % (95%CI:-0.86;-0.21) in the Zinc treated group. There were 8 studies comparing the effects of Zinc supplementation on lipid parameters in patients with type-2 diabetes. The pooled mean difference for total cholesterol between Zinc supplemented and placebo groups was −32.37 mg/dl (95%CI:-57.39,-7.35; p < 0.05). Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol also showed a similar distinct reduction in the Zinc treated group, the pooled mean difference from random effects analysis was −11.19 mg/dl (95%CI:-21.14,-1.25; p < 0.05). Studies have also shown a significant reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressures after Zinc supplementation. This first comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of Zinc supplementation in patients with diabetes demonstrates that Zinc supplementation has beneficial effects on glycaemic control and promotes healthy lipid parameters. Further studies are required to identify the exact biological mechanisms responsible for these results.
Journal of trace elements in medicine and biology : organ of the Society for Minerals and Trace Elements (GMS), 2017
This study evaluated the relationship between the zinc-related nutritional status and glycemic and insulinemic markers in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A total of 82 individuals with T2DM aged between 29 and 59 years were evaluated. The concentration of zinc in the plasma, erythrocytes, and urine was determined by the flame atomic absorption spectrometry method. Dietary intake was assessed using a 3-day 24-h recall. In addition, concentrations of serum glucose, glycated hemoglobin percentage, total cholesterol and fractions, triglycerides, and serum insulin were determined. The insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) and β-cell function (HOMA- β) were calculated. The markers of zinc status (plasma: 83.3±11.9μg/dL, erythrocytes: 30.1±4.6μg/g Hb, urine: 899.1±622.4μg Zn/24h, and dietary: 9.9±0.8mg/day) were classified in tertiles and compared to insulinemic and glycemic markers. The results showed that lower zinc concentrations in plasma and erythrocytes, as well as its...
Role of zinc supplementation in type II diabetes mellitus
The American Journal of Medicine, 1986
Zinc is required for normal immune function and taste acuity and enhances the in vitro effectiveness of insulin. Impaired immune function and taste have been reported in diabetic subjects, and decreased serum zinc levels and hyperzincuria occur in some diabetic subjects and animals. Subjects with type U diabetes were examined to determine whether the similar effects of zinc depletion and diabetes are causally related. Low serum zinc levels were found in 16 of 180 subjects (9 percent). There was no correlation between serum zinc and glycosylated hemoglobin levels. Natural killer cell activity did not differ between diabetic subjects (n = 28) and control subjects (n-38) and did not correlate with serum zinc levels. T lymphocyte response to phytohemagglutinin was lower in diabetic subjects than in control subjects (70-I-10 versus 103 4-7 X 103 counts per minute) but was not lowest in those with the lowest zinc levels. Taste thresholds for hydrochloric acid, sucrose, sodium chloride, and urea were elevated in diabetic subjects (n = 28) versus control subjects (n = 10), but thresholds did not correlate with glycosylated hemoglobin or serum zinc levels. Zinc supplementation in nine dlabeUc subjects had no effect on the glycosylated hemoglobin level, natural killer cell activity, or taste thresholds, but it did increase mitogen activity in those with the lowest initial phytohemaggluUnin responses. It is concluded that zinc deficiency occurs in a subset of subjects with type II diabetes but is not related to diabetes control and does not explain decreased taste acuity. Zinc deficiency may play a role in abnormal immune function in type II diabetes mellitus.
Zinc Intake and Status and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Nutrients
Zinc could have a protective role against type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association between dietary, supplementary, and total zinc intake, as well as serum/plasma and whole blood zinc concentration, and risk of T2DM. Observational studies, conducted on cases of incident diabetes or T2DM patients and healthy subjects that reported a measure of association between zinc exposure and T2DM, were selected. Random effects meta-analyses were applied to obtain combined results. Stratified meta-analyses and meta-regressions were executed to assess sources of heterogeneity, as well as the impact of covariates on the findings. From 12,136 publications, 16 studies were selected. The odds ratio (OR) for T2DM comparing the highest versus lowest zinc intake from diet was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.78–0.98). Nevertheless, no association between supplementary or total zinc intake from both diet and supplementation, and T2DM was observed. A direct...