Diabetes & Zinc Deficiency

Vitamin and mineral supplementation are important additions to your diet when you experience chronic illness or disease, or if your diet is not balanced with fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Diets that are high in processed foods, saturated and trans fats and food additives do not provide the body with the nutrition it requires to maintain overall health. In fact, researchers are now discovering just how important some of the trace minerals such as zinc are to your health and the prevention of disease.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder in which your body either does not produce enough insulin or it is unable to utilize it. Insulin is a hormone that is produced in the pancreas and assists in the transportation of glucose from the bloodstream into cells, where it can be used for energy. According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse website, there are approximately 23.6 million people in the United States who suffer from this condition.

Zinc

Zinc is an essential element in the maintenance of your health, according to the Linus Paulin Institute at Oregon State University. The significance of this trace mineral has only been recently recognized. Zinc plays important roles in growth and development, neurological function, reproduction and immune response, and also has an influence on the metabolism of glucose.

Interactions

Zinc deficiency is a problem for people who suffer from diabetes. Dr. Chausmer writes in the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition" that it is likely the hyperglycemia and the resulting urinary loss that decreases the body's total amount of zinc in people who have diabetes. It is also theorized that low levels of zinc -- which is important in the maintenance of a healthy immune system -- may worsen the damage of an autoimmune attack on the islet cells in the pancreas. These are the cells that produce insulin, and their destruction leads to type 1 diabetes. Dr. Emily Ho from the Linus Pauling Institute writes that insulin is stored as zinc crystals inside the islet cells and plays an important role in the preservation of insulin function.

Supplementation and Dietary Sources

If you are diabetic, you must consult with your physician before taking a zinc supplement. Zinc can interfere with the administration of your insulin and your blood glucose levels, so any supplementation should be monitored by your doctor. Food sources of zinc include shellfish, beef and other red meats, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Good plant sources include nuts and legumes such as peanuts and beans. In supplement form it is available as zinc acetate, zinc gluconate, zinc picolinate and zinc sulfate. Although zinc picolinate is promoted as a more absorbable form, there is little data that supports this theory in humans.