United States: A study found that “Hidden hunger” – represented by minimal essential vitamins or minerals- occurs frequently in subjects with type 2 diabetes.
A study published in the January BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health showed that vitamin, mineral, and electrolyte deficiencies affect approximately 45 percent of type 2 diabetes patients.
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Research led by Adjunct Professor Dr. Daya Krishan Mangal at the International Institute of Health Management Research in Jaipur, India, discovered the “exemplifies the double burden of malnutrition in action,” which affects patients who attempt diabetes control using diet by developing nutritional deficiencies.
A review of evidence used results from 132 studies which studied more than 52,500 participants from 1998 through 2023.
Research showed that 60 percent or more people with type 2 diabetes experience vitamin D deficiency, which established itself as the most prevalent deficiency, US News reported.
What are the other common deficiencies?
Many fewer people presented deficiencies in magnesium compared to iron and vitamin B12, with minimum measures detected in 42 percent, 28 percent, and 22 percent of patients, respectively.
The diabetes medicine metformin raised the likelihood of vitamin B12 deficiency in patients since 29 percent of these patients demonstrated low B12 levels.
Results indicate that women with diabetes presented higher rates of vitamin deficiencies than men at 49 percent versus 43 percent.
People with diabetes in North and South America showed the greatest deficiency in vitamins, as 54 percent of these patients lacked specific nutritional elements.
What more are the experts stating?
According to the research team, “The treatment of type 2 diabetes often tends to focus on energy metabolism and macronutrients, but the identification of a higher prevalence of specific micronutrient deficiencies in those affected is a reminder that optimizing overall nutrition should always be a priority,” US News reported.
The deficiency could result in worsened diabetes symptoms because multiple nutrients play key roles during metabolism, according to researchers. These health problems may occur because of deficiencies.
Type 2 diabetes potentially develops from nutritional deficiencies that exist from an initial stage.
Furthermore, “Micronutrient deficiencies may influence glucose metabolism and insulin signaling pathways, leading to the onset and progression of type 2 diabetes,” researchers noted.