Study of Serum Levels of Copper, Iron and Zinc in Type II Diabetes Mellitus Patients

Abstract

Background: Diabetes Mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia, due to a defect in insulin secretion or insulin resistance. Trace elements like copper, selenium, zinc, nickel etc. are involved in various cellular and physiological functions related to insulin and glucose metabolism.  Alteration in the serum levels of copper, iron, & zinc leads to the progression of T2DM.

Objective: To estimate the serum levels of copper, iron & zinc in Type II Diabetes Mellitus patients.

Material and methods: A cross-sectional study of 124 subjects was done within the age group of 30 to 55 years, diagnosed with T2DM. Patients on minerals supplementation (Cu, Fe & Zn), lactating women, patients with chronic kidney disease and patients with chronic liver disease, alcoholism and cancer patients were excluded from the study. About 5 ml of blood sample was collected after overnight fasting to estimate HbA1c, FPG, PPG & trace elements (Cu, Fe & Zn).

Methods: Estimation of HbA1c was done by ion exchange HPLC method, FPG & PPG by GOD-POD. Copper & Zinc by colorimetric method and iron by ferrozine method.

Results: The changes in the concentration of the estimated trace elements were noticed in patients with T2DM. We observed that serum levels of copper and iron was much higher, while concentration of zinc was decreased significantly in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients. HbA1c levels were positively correlated with copper and iron in the patients with T2DM which is statistically significant.

Conclusion: This study concluded that serum levels of copper and iron were elevated in T2DM patients, while zinc levels were decreased compared to reference values. These findings suggest that potential disruptions in trace element metabolism, particularly copper and iron leading to oxidative stress and inflammation, which causes insulin resistance and may contribute to progression of T2DM. However, zinc homeostasis appears to be unaffected.