- Eating a healthy diet plays a major role in both the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes.
- A healthy diet involves obtaining the right amount of micronutrients to ensure that your body functions properly.
- A new study found that micronutrient deficiency is common in people with type 2 diabetes, especially vitamin D.
- Researchers believe this “hidden hunger” could provide a new target for nutritional interventions that can help treat type 2 diabetes.
“Micronutrient diet, dietary habits, and consumption play an important role in the causal relationship of disease and the development of long-term complications.” Daya Krishan Mangal, MDadjunct professor at IIHMR University in Jaipur, India, and senior affiliate of the Ministry of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Today's medical news.
Researchers believe this “hidden hunger” could provide a new target for nutritional interventions in conjunction with existing diabetes treatments.
In this study, researchers analyzed data from 132 studies published between 1998 and 2023. Pooled data were formed by a total of over 52,000 study participants in type 2 diabetes and searching for micronutrient deficiencies such as vitamins, minerals and electrolytes. .
Upon analysis, scientists found that the pooled prevalence of micronutrient deficiency among type 2 diabetes patients was approximately 45%.
“(This) indicates that two people with type 2 diabetes have either micronutrient deficiency,” Mangal explained. “These micronutrients are essential for cellular levels and glucose metabolism. We have found that micronutrient deficiencies are common among diabetic patients.”
“We need to look for more robust research findings to sinister micronutrient deficiencies with causality and glycemic control and to inform diabetes management protocols regarding regular screening of these defects and supplementation. ” he added.
The researchers also reported that the amount of micronutrient defects is higher in women with type 2 diabetes than in men.
“This variation can be due to differences in lifestyle and dietary practices,” Mangal said. “However, causality has not yet been established.”
Of all the micronutrients studied, Mangal and his team found that vitamin D is the most common missing micronutrient, affecting 60.5% of participants.
“Vitamin D deficiency is the most common deficiency seen among diabetic patients. Vitamin D plays a role in insulin production and utilization at the cellular level. However, the causal relationship between vitamin D deficiency and diabetes and its We need to gather more information about the causal relationship with complications,” Mangal said.
“Our findings suggest that approximately 45% of people with type 2 diabetes exhibit multiple micronutrient deficiencies, which is possible targeted nutrition interventions to complement existing treatments for diabetes management. “Dealing with these defects can improve glycemic control, reduce the risk of complications, and increase overall health outcomes.”
– Dayakrishan Mangal, Maryland
“In addition, identifying and correcting micronutrient defects could pave the way for preventive strategies, especially for individuals at high risk of developing complications among type 2 diabetes,” Mangal said. I added. “However, further research is needed to establish causal relationships and determine the effectiveness of such interventions in both the prevention and treatment context.”
Isabella is surprised that micronutrient deficiency is common in people with type 2 diabetes for several interconnected reasons, including increased urinary excretion, medication side effects, insulin resistance, and increased oxidative stress. He said that it wasn't.
“Understanding the role of specific nutrients in the development of type 2 diabetes can lead to targeted dietary recommendations and interventions to prevent or delay the onset of disease, especially in high-risk individuals,” she said. continued. “This could have a major impact on public health given the growing global prevalence of diabetes.”
MNT I spoke again Pouya Shafipour, MDBoard-certified Family and Obesity Medicine Physicians at Providence St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, for this study.
Shafipour says that most people work indoors all day long, have the highest vitamin D levels and don't go outside in the middle of the day when he was a little skeptical of the results of his research, so he doesn't get out. I've commented.
“Vitamin D is a steroid hormone. It's not actually the vitamin itself, it has over 100 different functions in the body,” he explained. “It's a very important vitamin, but at the same time, it's now very controversial. (American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists) advice Optimizing levels has not been shown to be extremely beneficial for checking vitamin D, making it a costly lab because most insurance doesn't cover it. ”
Shafipour said a more comprehensive double-blind study is needed for vitamins.
“The problem with vitamins is that they don't pay enough attention,” he explained. “We usually receive blanket statements from more academic societies who say they don't take vitamins,” he said, “vitamins are ineffective.”
“If there's research on vitamins, especially the top four or five essentials, most people usually go to alternative medical doctors, so it's also very useful for the relationship between Western medicine physicians and patients. I think so,” Shafipur added.
MNT I spoke again Monique Richard, MS, RDN, LDNRegistered Nutritionist Nutritionist, Nutritionist and her tips on how readers can make sure they get the right amount of micronutrients during their diet to prevent type 2 diabetes .
“First and foremost, I encourage clients and patients to focus on understanding what their bodies need from food and why,” explained Richard. “Food is our fuel. We need carbohydrates, proteins, and fats (macronutrients). Each of these categories is to meet daily needs of micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, phytochemicals). You need a variety of high quality foods.”
“Many people are under the impression that they can purchase vitamins and minerals that are consumed or not found in their diet,” she continued.
“If your needs are not met with food, supplements alone are not enough substitutes for essential vitamins and minerals. They are not in synergistic packaging like whole foods. Our bodies are , it's a form of use and recognition for operational and fully functioning,” Richard said.
For those at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, Richard suggested.
- Focusing on complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits, skin and flesh.
- Understanding the amount of protein you need is fairly evenly divided into meals for diet, muscle, enzyme support, and meeting needs.
- Meet protein needs in a variety of protein-rich foods, including beans, nuts, nut butter, seeds, whole grains, fatty fish, dairy products, chicken, eggs and other animal products.
- Consumes healthy fats from whole foods such as nuts, seeds, olives and protein sources (eggs, dairy products, etc.).
- Adds herbs and spices rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals to support insulin sensitivity.
- Reducing the amount of additional sugars in your diet reduces the amount of circulating glucose in the body, reduces insulin response, and preserves pancreatic function.
“Type 2 diabetes is complex and multifactorial. This is not caused by one specific nutritional deficiency or one specific behavior. It can have catastrophic consequences if not checked. It's a serious situation, but you don't need to. It can be managed – in some cases, even reversed, but in most cases, the way our bodies help ourselves It's an opportunity to learn.”
– Monique Richard, MS, RDN, LDN
