Metabolic and cardiovascular profiles in diabetes type 2: a comparative analysis of zinc homeostasis and blood pressure—a single center case–control study

Abstract

Zinc plays an important role in glucose metabolism and lipid regulation, and its imbalance has been implicated in the development of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and dyslipidemia. A case–control study was conducted on 100 patients with type 2 diabetes and 95 controls. Serum zinc levels, metabolic panel and Blood pressure, were measured. Demographic and treatment-related factors were assessed to evaluate their potential influence on trace element status. Moreover, dietary zinc consumption was estimated. Diabetic patients had significantly lower serum zinc levels compared to non-diabetic participants despite comparable intake. In addition, each unit (mcg/dL) increase in serum zinc was associated with 10% lower odds of diabetes prevalence (p = 0.003). Total TC, TG, and LDL were all significantly increased in patients with diabetes (p < 0.001), each 1 mg/dL increase in LDL-cholesterol increased the odds of zinc deficiency by 4% (p = 0.03). Individuals with diabetes had significantly lower diastolic blood pressure as compared to healthy participants (p = 0.01). People with diabetes display different blood pressure and lipid patterns, as well as lower serum zinc concentrations, despite having dietary zinc intake comparable to those without diabetes. Higher serum zinc levels are associated with reduced odds of having diabetes. However, because these findings are based on cross-sectional data, further longitudinal and intervention studies are needed to determine the most effective zinc formulations and dosing regimens.