A food additive commonly found in meat, cheese, other dairy and dairy alternatives, has been linked to a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Carrageenan – also known as E407 – is a commonly used emulsifier and thickening agent, which has been in use in the US since the 1950s. While previous studies have linked the chemical to chronic inflammatory bowel disease, ulcers, and higher levels of blood sugar in animals, limited research means that it is unknown if these effects extend to humans.
To find out, researchers monitored the effect of carrageenan on a group of 20 young men with a body mass index (BMI) of between 18.5 and 29.9 kilograms per square meter over a two-week period. Some were given a placebo. Others were given a dosage of carrageenan two to three times the daily dose in the US, which was taken on top of their usual diet.
Despite the relatively short time frame, the results revealed an increase in the permeability of the small intestine, which the researchers put down to gut inflammation. This, the researchers say, could have long-term health repercussions and increase the risk of developing inflammatory diseases such as type 2 diabetes.
The researchers were particularly interested in the impact carrageenan has on the body’s ability to respond to insulin – the hormone responsible for regulating levels of sugar in the bloodstream.
While it is important to note none of the participants were significantly affected by the additional carrageenan in their diet, the findings do suggest those with higher body weight were less sensitive to insulin. These participants were also more likely to show higher levels of inflammation in the blood and the hypothalamus, which is the area of the brain responsible for appetite, energy expenditure, and managing hormones.
A decline in the body’s sensitivity to insulin occurs before the development of diabetes, a condition affecting almost one in 10 Americans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those most at risk of developing type 2 diabetes include people aged 45 and over and people who are overweight, but it is increasingly impacting younger people.
While the results suggest further investigation into the impact of carrageenan on human health may be beneficial, the research so far has focused on a small group of participants and a relatively homogenous one at that. Women and older people, for example, were not included in the study.
“Our subjects were, on average, probably still too healthy to show significant metabolic effects from carrageenan,” Norbert Stefan, Professor of Clinical-Experimental Diabetology, said in a statement. “However, in older or overweight individuals, the effects could be stronger. To confirm this, further studies in these population groups are necessary.”
Stefan and co-author Robert Wagner, Professor of Clinical Research of Diabetes and Metabolism at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, highlight the need for further research to investigate the health implications of consuming carrageenan given its widespread usage.
The study was published in the journal BMC Medicine.
Source Link: Food Additive Added To Dairy Products Could Increase Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes
