Breakthrough could impact fight against diabetes, heart disease

 UPDATED 8:39 AM EDT Jul 24, 2013

It's a breakthrough that could have a global impact on the fight against diabetes and it's been discovered in Louisville.

Researchers studying zinc at the University of Louisville's Kosair Children's Hospital research institute made a critical link that could mean newfound health for millions.

When thinking of someone with heart disease, most would probably consider a person older in age, and maybe overweight. But one of the biggest causes of heart disease is actually diabetes and it can start at a very young age. That's why a local discovery about zinc could revolutionize the health of the young and old.

 “In diabetes, it causes a high level of glucose and a high level of lipids, it damages the heart and make the heart thick and stiff,” said Dr. Lu Cai.

The thickening and stiffening of the heart wall leads to cardiovascular disease, which keeps the heart from pumping well.

But a study of zinc at the U of L Kosair Children's Hospital research institute unveiled a groundbreaking link.

 “We found that a zinc deficiency cause a lot of trouble, have a high risk for diabetes and high risk of cardiovascular disease,” said Cai.

Found in beef, peanuts, lentils an even chocolate, zinc is a known building block for our body's production of proteins and enzymes. It's also an anti-inflammatory. But researchers at the institute recently discovered zinc produces important antioxidants.  An increase of the nutrient in diabetics with heart disease is proving to be miraculous.

 “It has the possibility of greatly reducing one of the most severe complications of diabetes,” said Dr. Kupper Wintergerst.

 “We found that mice with type 1 diabetes and treated them with zinc for three months showed almost a normal heart,” said Cai.

Researchers say the health benefits would not only help millions of adults world-wide with the disease, but it could lower heart disease risk, years in advance.

 “Our ultimate goal is to reduce the risk of heart and blood vessel disease in children,” said Wintergerst.

Researchers next goal is to move this study from the laboratory to actual clinical patients and have a clinical impact that could touch the world. They believe those trials are just around the corner.

Researchers say that according to their studies, a small supplement of three to 17 milligrams of zinc per day is what is proposed to help with a deficiency, but that number is just preliminary, before studies are done.

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