The Link Between Environmental Toxins and Diabetes
By Amanda Gomes, ND
n America, over 30 million people are diabetic while 84 million are prediabetic according to the latest National Diabetes Statistics Report. Diabetes was considered the seventh leading cause of death in the US in 2017. Well established causes such as a sedentary lifestyle, caloric-dense diet, and genetic susceptibility are not the only targets for preventing this disease. Exposure to certain environmental toxins known as diabetogens has been correlated to blood sugar dysregulation leading to diabetes.
I What is a Diabetogen?
The term diabetogen was coined by CD Campbell in 1961 to describe his observations of food contaminants as a cause of diabetes. Diabetogens impair the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar ap- propriately by many mechanisms including impairing insulin production and decreas- ing insulin sensitivity. The most common toxins contributing to the development of diabetes include arsenic, bisphenol A (BPA), dioxins, organochlorine pesticides (OCP), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), phthalates, and polycyclic aromatic hy- drocarbons (PAH). A study by the Environ- mental Working Group found an average of 200 industrial compounds including OCP, PCB, and PAH in the umbilical cord blood of newborns. With the ever-increasing toxic burden of our environment and develop- ing knowledge of the corresponding health implications, it is essential to mitigate your exposure to these toxins when treating or preventing diabetes.
How Am I Exposed to These Toxins? Below are the most common ways
you are likely to be exposed to each of the seven identifi ed diabetogens.
1. Arsenic exposure occurs mostly through food sources like seafood, rice, poultry, and mushrooms as well as drinking water.
2. BPA is found in several plastic materi- als like consumables packaging and implantable medical devices.
3. Dioxins are highly toxic byproducts of many industrial processes and can be identifi ed as persistent organic pollutants (POP).
4. Everyone who eats conventionally grown foods are exposed to OCPs. Individuals living near farms with con- ventional growing practices are at an increased risk to exposure to OCPs.
5. PCB was banned in 1977 due to its resilience against breakdown in the environment and living organisms. Prior to the ban, PCB was used extensively for industrial and commercial purposes and toxins persist today, decades later.
6. Phthalates are utilized for fl exibility and transparency in plastic products as well as increasing solubility and stabil- ity of many fragrances and cosmetics. Purchasing fatty foods like butter, milk, and meat sold in plastic containers can also expose you to phthalates. As a fat- soluble toxin, phthalates can leach from the container into the fatty constituents of the food and contaminate them.
7. PAH is primarily manufactured through the burning of fossil fuels and is the main carcinogen in cigarette smoke. PAH is also found in charbroiled and smoked meats.
Tips for Limiting Your Exposure To Diabetogens
1. Avoidance: Conscientiously avoid diabetogens by reducing or eliminating exposure through food, water, or chemi- cals in your home. Be sure to have your water tested for arsenic. Avoid drinking water out of plastic bottles and try a stainless-steel bottle as an alternative. In- vestigate the cleanliness of your favorite cosmetics on a free database like Skin Deep® by the Environmental Working Group.
2. Evaluate your body burden: Available lab tests like gamma-glutamyl trans- ferase (GGT), complete blood count (CBC), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), homocysteine, bilirubin, and alanine transferase can provide your doctor with valuable information about your toxic load and how effectively your body is eliminating diabetogens. Specifi c industrial toxin tests are also available.
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