Lowering body iron stores in the prevention of type 2 diabetes.

摘要

It is well known that changes in lifestyle are considered the cornerstone in the prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus. In this setting, we suggest that dietary intervention aimed at reducing body iron stores might be a useful tool in preventing diabetes.Serum ferritin, a good indicator of the iron stored in the body, has been shown to be associated with an increased risk for diabetes. However, a small intervention study in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with increased ferritin levels provided evidence that blood letting, which resulted in 50% reduction of serum ferritin concentrations, improved glycaemia and insulin sensitivity. Furthermore, low-fat dairy consumption and habitual coffee intake have been shown to be associated with a substantially lower risk of type 2 diabetes; interestingly, both milk products and coffee have been clearly shown to inhibit iron absorption.