The Connection between Industrial Chemicals & Diabetes

Written by ODX Admin | Jan 2, 2024 9:47:28 PM

Diabetes is expected to affect 552 million individuals worldwide by the year 2030. Although diabetes is often associated with being overweight or obese, at least 20% of those diagnosed are not overweight or obese.

Researchers are looking at environmental chemicals (ECs) as a possible cause, considering the increase in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes correlates with the dramatic increase in chemical exposure since World War 2.

Many industrial chemicals that end up in the environment act as endocrine disruptors (EDCs). This fact likely explains their potential effects on hormone action and diabetes development over the lifespan. These chemicals can be toxic to beta cells and alter immune competence and function.

Many EDCs are fat-soluble. They are stored in adipose tissue and released during weight loss.

Lifestyle interventions can reduce exposure, including avoiding animal fats, mercury-contaminated seafood, and EDC-containing cans, cosmetics, and plastics.

Specific chemicals associated with diabetes in humans include:

T2DM or Insulin Resistance	Sources
POPs	Food (animal fats, fish)
Dioxin	Agent Orange (Vietnam War)
Arsenic	Drinking water, food (fruit juice, rice)
BPA	Polycarbonate plastics, canned food, thermal paper, dental sealants
Phthalates	PVC plastics, cosmetics, medical equipment
Traffic-related air pollution	Residential proximity to traffic
Agricultural pesticides	Applying pesticides
Brominated flame retardants	Consumer products, furniture, electronics
Cadmium	Food (oysters, oilseeds, offal), tobacco
T1DM or Autoimmunity
Nitrite/nitrate/nitrosamines	Processed meat, drinking water, cosmetics
Air pollutants ozone and sulfate	Ambient air
PCBs	Food (animal fats, fish)
Mercury	Fish
Trichloroethylene	Drinking water, occupational.
GDM or Impaired Glucose Tolerance During Pregnancy
Agricultural pesticides	Applying/mixing pesticides
Arsenic	Drinking water

Optimal Takeaways

Evaluating an individual's exposure to these chemicals should be part of every comprehensive clinical assessment.

Evaluate intake or exposure to:

Animal fats
Air pollution
Agent Orange
Cadmium in oysters, oilseeds, offal, tobacco
Drinking water containing arsenic, trichloroethylene, nitrite/nitrate/nitrosamines
Flame retardants
Fruit juice
Pesticides
Processed meat
Phthalates in PCV plastic, medical equipment, cosmetics
Rice (predominantly brown rice)

Reference

Sargis, Robert M et al. “THE DIABETES EPIDEMIC: Environmental Chemical Exposure in Etiology and Treatment.” San Francisco medicine vol. 85,5 (2012): 18-20. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/24771962/

Also, check out ODX articles on

Arsenic

Diabetes and Pesticides

Nutrition Support of Metabolic Detoxification

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