Nitrate Additives in Foods Linked to Type 2 Diabetes Risk
A recent study published in PLOS Medicine has linked the consumption of nitrites and nitrates to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Nitrites and nitrates are found naturally in foods and water, and are also used as food additives to extend shelf life.
Nitrites and nitrates in food have come under scrutiny in recent years due to possible negative health consequences, including in France, where the present study took place. Although the genotoxicity and carcinogenicity of certain nitrosamines—formed from nitrates, nitrites, and other proteins—has been demonstrated, the role that the formation of nitrosamines might play in metabolic dysfunction and type 2 diabetes onset is unknown. Previous studies have suggested that the formation of nitrosamines might have adverse effects on insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathways and pancreatic β cell functions, therefore potentially playing a role in insulin resistance development and related metabolic disorders.