Zinc may offer a surprising defense against type 2 diabetes

On the Half Shell

Biting down on a raw oyster isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time. But women who frequently tuck into a dozen on the half shell are getting excellent nutrition along with the possibility that they might be reducing their risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Nurses on duty

Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health recently did what they frequently do: They plowed through nearly 25 years of data collected from the Nurses’ Health Study.

From 1980 to 2004, more than 82,000 women who were at least 33 years old at baseline shared information about their dietary intake. Medical records were followed too, of course, giving researchers a mountain of data that will be studied for many years to come.

In this most recent round of research, the Harvard team followed two strands of data: zinc intake and newly diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes.

Results:

• Women who had the highest total zinc intake reduced their risk of type 2 diabetes by eight percent
• Women who had the highest average zinc intake reduced their risk by 10 percent
• When researchers adjusted for several confounding factors, women who had the highest intake of zinc reduced their risk by more than 25 percent

Powerup the zinc

Now…back to those oysters.

A raw oyster may contain anywhere from 40 mg to 280 mg of zinc per every 200 calories consumed. And if you can get past the texture of the tender but slippery bivalve, you’ll also enjoy a good source of vitamins D, A, and B-12, as well as EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids. But note that all this good nutrition drops off sharply if oysters are battered and fried.

Other dietary sources of zinc include cabbage, red meat, poultry, beans, nuts, whole grains, and dairy products. And although the Harvard study states that more studies are warranted to confirm the association between zinc intake and a reduced risk of diabetes, there are a number of healthy associations with zinc that are already confirmed…

• Zinc helps maintain healthy vision and reduces the risk of age-related macular degeneration
• Zinc inhibits abnormal blood clotting that contributes to heart disease
• Zinc has been shown to help prevent pneumonia
• Zinc enhances the immune system
• Zinc is one of the key nutrients needed for DNA reproduction and repair

Zinc deficiency is common among those who are past their 50th birthday. But talk with your doctor before adding zinc to your supplement regimen.

Source:
“A Prospective Study of Zinc Intake and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Women” Diabetes Care, Published online ahead of print 1/26/09, care.diabetesjournals.org