Fish, shellfish and eggs carry a contaminant that can cause diabetes

2024-04-11 10:54:33

He perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is an endocrine disruptor – a substance that alters the body’s hormonal system – that can be ingested through the foods that we eat.

The people most exposed to this compound, which is mainly contributed by fish, shellfish and eggsare more at risk of developing alterations in glucose metabolism and therefore of developing a type 2 diabetes.

This is the main conclusion of a research led by the Human Nutrition Unit from Rovira i Virgili University (URV) and the Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Pere Virgili (IISPV), which are part of the CIBERObn consortium of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III.

Researchers have studied how PFOS consumption affects blood sugar levels and the amount of body fat in 4,600 adults aged 55 to 77 who they lacked diabetes.

The results showed that people who had a higher consumption of PFOS through their diet at the beginning of the study had higher, and therefore worse, levels of glucose compared to those participants who consumed less.

A positive association was also observed between dietary intake of PFOS and body mass index or insulin resistance -common in people who have a higher risk of developing adult-onset diabetes- after one year of follow-up.

The research also determined which were the main food groups that contributed to the total consumption of PFOS through the diet: fish and seafood (62%)eggs (25%) and fruits and vegetables (8%).

The high presence of these endocrine disruptors in foods of animal origin could be explained, according to the research team, due to the affinity for the lipids that these chemicals havesomething that can lead to its accumulation and persistence in the food chain.

Its presence in some fruits and vegetables It is due to the widespread contamination of soil and surface water, which causes endocrine disruptors to accumulate in these foods.

Photo: Valeria Boltneva.

Given the results obtained, the research team highlights the importance of examining more closely the possible effects that the endocrine disruptors in public health.

They also emphasize the need to establish stricter regulations to reduce exposure to these substances through diet.

It should be added that the adverse health effects of PFOS are not only diabetes. They can also cause damage to the development of the fetus during pregnancy, or in babies who are breastfed (for example, low birth weight, accelerated puberty, skeletal variations). AND cancer (e.g. testicular and renal), effects on the liver (such as tissue damage), effects immunological and thyroid damage.

A good idea, of course, is to consume certified organic food. We thus ensure that they do not contain this and other contaminants. Especially when it comes to eggs and vegetables.

The fish, if it is blue and large, will always contain more toxic chemicals like the one mentioned because it has more fat. Therefore, it is advisable to opt for small fish with less fat. For example, sardines or anchovies.

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