A recent study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has found that eating high amounts of heme iron, which is found in red meat and other animal products, could increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D).
This study offers stronger evidence than before, showing a clear connection between heme iron intake and diabetes risk.
Heme iron is different from non-heme iron, which is found mostly in plant-based foods.
While earlier studies suggested a link between heme iron and diabetes, this new research goes further by using a wide range of data to better understand how heme iron might lead to higher diabetes risk.
The study was published in Nature Metabolism.
The research team, led by Fenglei Wang, looked at dietary information collected over 36 years from over 200,000 adults.
These participants were part of long-term studies like the Nurses’ Health Studies I and II and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.
The researchers examined how much iron the participants consumed, including both heme and non-heme iron, and whether they developed type 2 diabetes. They made sure to consider other health and lifestyle factors that could influence the results.
To understand why heme iron might increase diabetes risk, the researchers also analyzed biological data from smaller groups of participants.
They looked at blood markers related to insulin, blood sugar, cholesterol, inflammation, and iron levels. These markers can give clues about how the body processes iron and how it might contribute to diabetes.
The study found that participants who consumed the most heme iron had a 26% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who consumed the least. The research also showed that heme iron was responsible for more than half of the diabetes risk linked to unprocessed red meat.
On the other hand, the study found no significant link between non-heme iron (from plants or supplements) and diabetes risk.
In addition to the overall risk, higher heme iron intake was also linked to higher levels of certain blood markers that are associated with diabetes, like C-peptide, triglycerides, and C-reactive protein.
These markers indicate inflammation and other metabolic issues that can contribute to diabetes.
Interestingly, the study identified several specific blood molecules, such as L-valine, L-lysine, and uric acid, that might explain the connection between heme iron and diabetes. These molecules have been linked to diabetes risk in previous research.
The findings have important implications for public health, especially as plant-based meat alternatives become more popular. Some of these products contain added heme to mimic the taste and appearance of meat, but this study suggests that the health effects of such additives need further investigation.
Frank Hu, one of the study’s authors, emphasized the importance of diet in preventing diabetes. He suggested that reducing red meat intake and choosing more plant-based foods could be effective strategies to lower diabetes risk.
However, the researchers noted that the study has some limitations, such as potential errors in the data and the fact that the participants were mostly white. More research is needed to confirm these findings in diverse populations.
This study highlights the importance of making healthy food choices to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about bananas and diabetes, and honey could help control blood sugar.
For more information about diabetes, please see recent studies about Vitamin D that may reduce dangerous complications in diabetes and results showing plant-based protein foods may help reverse type 2 diabetes.
Source: Harvard University.
