A new research study has revealed a possible connection between consuming nitrates and nitrites from drinking water and food and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The study led by Bernard Srour, published in the journal PLOS Medicine, investigated the impact of nitrates and nitrites on human health.
Nitrates and nitrites are naturally found in water and soil and are commonly used as food preservatives to prolong shelf life. While some public health officials have called for restrictions on the use of nitrates and nitrites as food additives, their effect on type 2 diabetes and metabolic health has not been thoroughly explored.
The NutriNet-Santé study is a long-term research project that began in 2009. Participants, who are 15 years or older, voluntarily enrol in the study and self-report information about their medical history, demographics, diet, lifestyle, and major health updates.
The researchers analyzed data from 104,168 participants in the NutriNet-Santé cohort, including information about their nitrite and nitrate exposure from various sources, including food additives and non-additive sources. They found that participants who reported a higher intake of nitrites, particularly from food additives, had an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. There was no connection found between nitrates and type 2 diabetes risk.
The study has some limitations and further research is needed to validate the results. The data was self-reported and the researchers were not able to confirm nitrite and nitrate exposure using biomarkers. Additionally, the cohort’s demographics and behaviours may not be representative of the wider population, and residual confounding may have impacted the study’s outcomes because of its observational design.
According to the authors, “These results provide a new piece of evidence in the context of current discussions regarding the need for a reduction of nitrite additives’ use in processed meats by the food industry and could support the need for better regulation of soil contamination by fertilizers. In the meantime, several public health authorities worldwide already recommend citizens to limit their consumption of foods containing controversial additives, including sodium nitrite”.
Srour and Touvier add, “This is the first large-scale cohort study to suggest a direct association between additives-originated nitrites and type-2 diabetes risk. It also corroborates previously suggested associations between total dietary nitrites and T2D risk.”
Link to the Study on PLOS: https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1004149
