Natural Society February 6 2013
Research has indicated that zinc, a powerful trace element responsible for more than 300 enzyme functions, can counteract the negative effects of diabetes mellitus. According to study results, zinc improves glycemic control in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Zinc naturally encourages insulin secretion and may help improve blood glucose levels. But zinc may play a role for additionally, lesser known reasons as well.
“Zinc supplementation of animals and humans has been shown to ameliorate glycemic control in type 1 and 2 diabetes, the two major forms of diabetes mellitus … Zinc seems to exert insulin-like effects by supporting the signal transduction of insulin and by reducing the production of cytokines, which lead to beta-cell death during the inflammatory process in the pancreas in the course of the disease.”
The pancreas is an endocrine gland responsible for producing numerous hormones, including insulin. The insulin is secreted by beta cells, which must always have high concentrations of zinc to work optimally. If the cells are unable to store zinc due to beta cell issues and polymorphisms, however, type 2 diabetes may be the result.
“…Furthermore, zinc might play a role in the development of diabetes, since genetic polymorphisms in the gene of zinc transporter 8 and in metallothionein (MT)-encoding genes could be demonstrated to be associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The fact that antibodies against this zinc transporter have been detected in type 1 diabetic patients offers new diagnostic possibilities.”