A new systematic review published in BMJ highlighted the fact that nearly half of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) experience micronutrient deficiencies, with women experiencing these deficiencies more frequently than men.
Micronutrients are valuable cofactors in glucose metabolic pathways, pancreatic beta cell function, and the insulin signaling cascade, suggesting that their deficiency may contribute to the development of T2D. Micronutrients such as biotin, chromium, thiamine, vitamin D, and vitamin C may have metabolic effects on glucose metabolism. Researchers and physicians have paid little attention to the role of hidden hunger and micronutrient deficiencies in type 2 diabetes.
A new systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the prevalence of various micronutrient deficiencies in the T2D patient population reported in 127 published studies (1998-2023), with 52,501 patients in total who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Almost half (45.30%) of the T2D population had multiple micronutrient deficiencies, and 40% of patients with diabetic complications had micronutrient deficiencies.
The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was highest (60.45%), followed by magnesium deficiency (41.95%). The next in order was vitamin B12 deficiency in a subgroup of T2D patients on metformin. . Deficiency of these micronutrients is notably prevalent among individuals who have both obesity and diabetes. Most of the data in the analysis came from hospital-based, cross-sectional studies, so the results cannot be generalized to the general population. The distribution of deficiencies also varies across WHO regions.
However, the study findings will help address the escalating issue of hidden hunger or micronutrient deficiencies among T2D patients and their long-term medical consequences.
