Possibility of Link Diabetes with Iron

An interesting new study with 32,800 middle-aged women has shown that there may be a link of type 2 diabetes manifesting in women with no risk factors whose blood has high amounts of iron.

In this research the blood samples were taken in 1989-90 from women with no history of diabetes, cardiovascular disease or cancer. 700 women ten years post sample who had shown an average iron concentration of 109 nanograms/milliliter manifested with diabetes whereas those with levels of 71.5 nanograms/milliliter in healthy patients did not get diabetes. Women with diabetes were also likely to be heavier with a family history of the disease, and less likely to exercise. The researchers believe that women with diabetes had higher intakes of iron than those who did not develop the disease.

The authors of the study concluded, “This finding may have important implications for the prevention of type 2 diabetes because elevated ferritin concentration and lower concentration in the ratio of transferring receptors to ferritin in healthy populations may help to identify a high-risk population for type 2 diabetes who may benefit from further evaluation and interventions.”