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Dodge Diabetes by Sidestepping Iron
7/20/06 -
Healthnotes Newswire-Once again diet is linked to diabetes risk: Iron
from animal sources can now be added to the list of known culprits such
as excess dietary fat and carbohydrates. Iron from plant sources,
however, does not appear to raise diabetes risk.

Diabetes afflicts nearly one in ten people over the age of 20, says the
National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. Certain people are more
prone to the disease, particularly those of American Indian, African
American, and Hispanic descent.

A major contributor to heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure,
blindness, and nervous system damage, diabetes is also the leading
cause of kidney failure. Making simple dietary changes like cutting
down on fried foods and eating more vegetables and whole grains may
help prevent diabetes.

The amount of calcium, chromium, magnesium, and iron in the diet might
also affect a person's chance of developing diabetes. To see what
effect iron intake had on diabetes risk, more than 85,000 healthy women
between ages 34 and 59 provided information about their dietary habits
and supplement use as part of the Nurses' Health Study.

During the course of the 20-year study, 4,599 women developed diabetes.
Study results, published in Diabetes Care, report that non-heme
iron-which comes from plant foods-and iron from supplements didn't
raise the risk of diabetes; however, heme iron-which comes from
animal products like red meat-greatly increased the risk. Women who
ate the most heme iron increased their risk of developing diabetes by
as much as 28%. Although the main dietary source of heme iron is red
meat, the study found that heme from poultry and fish also increased
diabetes risk.

Studies have shown a connection between high stores of iron in the body
and prediabetes. Acting as a pro-oxidant, iron may cause damage to the
organs and tissues of the body that may eventually lead to full-blown
diabetes. Because heme iron is more easily absorbed than non-heme iron,
"it is probable that a chronically high intake of heme iron can lead
to high body iron stores and thus may elevate the risk of diabetes,"
the authors said.

How these results will affect the recommendations made to people who
are at risk for diabetes remains to be seen. For now, people without
iron deficiency may be wise to enjoy a diet rich in whole foods, while
emphasizing plant-based sources of iron.

(Diabetes Care 2006;29:1370-6)

-Kimberly Beauchamp, ND

Kimberly Beauchamp, ND, earned her bachelor's degree from the
University of Rhode Island and her Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine
from Bastyr University in Kenmore, WA. She cofounded South County
Naturopaths in Wakefield, RI. Dr. Beauchamp practices as a birth doula
and lectures on topics including whole-foods nutrition, detoxification,
and women's health.

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Tom

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