Higher Heme Iron Intake May Raise Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes: Study Finds
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The new study published in Nature Metabolism and led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health reveals that increased consumption of heme iron, which is primarily found in red meat and other animal products, rather than non-heme iron from plant-based sources, was linked to a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D).
The researchers investigated the relationship between iron intake and type 2 diabetes (T2D) by analysing 36 years of dietary data from 206,615 adults who participated in the Nurses' Health Studies I and II and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. They evaluated participants' consumption of different types of iron—total, heme, non-heme, dietary (from foods), and supplemental (from supplements)—and their T2D status, while accounting for other health and lifestyle variables.
The researchers also explored the biological mechanisms linking heme iron to type 2 diabetes (T2D) within smaller participant groups. They analysed plasma metabolic biomarkers related to insulin, blood sugar, blood lipids, inflammation, and iron metabolism in 37,544 participants. Additionally, they examined the metabolomic profiles of 9,024 participants, which included plasma levels of small-molecule metabolites involved in processes like digestion and chemical reactions.
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