Red meat increases the risk of diabetes

People who eat a lot of red meat are at an increased risk for type 2 diabetes. However, the causes of this risk relationship are not yet clear. Researchers have now identified biomarkers in the blood that provide clues to the underlying metabolic mechanisms.

The consumption of red meat increases the risk of diabetes. Image: Barbara Pheby / fotolia

Studies show that the daily consumption of 150 grams of red meat is accompanied by an approximately 80% increased risk of disease. To learn more about the context, a team of scientists analyzed the blood samples of 2,681 study participants. Of these, 688 were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes during the course of the study.

Overall, the researchers examined 127 different biomarkers in the blood of the participants. In six biomarkers, the observed changes in concentration were associated with an increased risk of diabetes. Study participants with a high level of ferritin and a low level of the glycine protein, for example, had an increased risk of diabetes. Likewise, in these participants, the values ​​of four lipids were changed, which are released from the liver to the blood.

Since glycine protects against oxidative stress while counteracting inflammatory responses, high levels of ferritin and low levels of glycine could suggest that the body is exposed to increased oxidative stress and is less well protected from inflammation. This, in turn, may explain the relationship between eating red meat and diabetes, as oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions, according to the latest information, contribute to type 2 diabetes. (Pm)