How Toxins Impact Blood Sugar

Maintaining stable blood sugar levels is crucial for overall health and well-being. However, various factors, including diet, exercise, stress, and environmental toxins, can influence blood sugar regulation. In this blog post, we'll delve into the impact of toxins on blood sugar levels, exploring how environmental pollutants and toxins can disrupt metabolic processes and contribute to insulin resistance and diabetes.

Toxins and Insulin Resistance:

Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, plays a key role in regulating blood sugar levels. Insulin facilitates the uptake of glucose from the bloodstream into cells, where it is used for energy production or stored for future use.

Insulin resistance occurs when cells become less responsive to the effects of insulin, leading to elevated blood sugar levels. I talk about insulin resistance in detail HERE. While genetics, diet, and lifestyle factors contribute to insulin resistance, emerging research suggests that environmental toxins also play a significant role.

Toxins and Insulin Resistance:

Several classes of environmental toxins have been implicated in the development of insulin resistance and diabetes:

1. Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs): POPs are synthetic chemicals that resist degradation and persist in the environment and the human body for extended periods. These include pesticides, industrial chemicals, and pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides. Studies have shown that exposure to POPs is associated with insulin resistance, impaired glucose metabolism, and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes (Lee et al., 2017).

2. Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs): EDCs are compounds that interfere with hormonal signaling and disrupt the endocrine system's function. Bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are examples of EDCs found in plastics, food packaging, personal care products, and environmental contaminants. Research suggests that exposure to EDCs may contribute to insulin resistance, obesity, and metabolic disorders (Rajesh & Balasubramanian, 2019).  BPA acts on multiple tissues involved in the regulation of glucose homeostasis (Rajesh & Balasubramanian, 2019).

3. Heavy Metals: Exposure to heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and arsenic has been linked to impaired glucose metabolism and an increased risk of diabetes. Heavy metals can disrupt insulin signaling pathways, promote oxidative stress and inflammation, and damage pancreatic beta cells responsible for insulin production (Shah et al., 2019).

4. Air Pollution: Ambient air pollution, including particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3), has been associated with insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, and an elevated risk of diabetes. Inhalation of air pollutants can trigger systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolic dysfunction, contributing to insulin resistance and impaired glucose homeostasis (Nuvolone et al., 2020).

Mitigating Toxin Exposure:

Reducing exposure to environmental toxins is essential for protecting metabolic health and supporting optimal blood sugar regulation. Here are some strategies to minimize toxin exposure:

1. Choose Organic Foods: Opt for organic fruits, vegetables, and grains to reduce pesticide exposure. Wash produce thoroughly before consumption to remove pesticide residues.

   The Environmental Working Group has a Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 list. 

Here is a link to their full and current list - https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/full-list.php

The dirty dozen are the foods that you should always (if possible) buy organic as they are often exposed to the most pesticides. The clean 15 are the foods that you can generally opt to buy non-organic. 

1. Avoid Plastics: Use glass or stainless steel containers for food storage and avoid plastic food packaging whenever possible. Choose BPA-free products and avoid heating food in plastic containers.

2. Filter Drinking Water: Install a high-quality water filtration system to remove contaminants such as heavy metals, chlorine, and industrial pollutants from drinking water. There are a lot of options out there- reverse osmosis is the gold standard, but those can be expensive! 

   You guessed it- the EWG has a great link for this too - https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/ Just enter your zip code and they will tell you what was found in the water! They also have great information on various types of water filters and what types of filters will filter out the things in YOUR tap water. 

3. Limit Exposure to Air Pollution: Minimize outdoor activities during periods of high air pollution. Use indoor air purifiers to reduce indoor air pollution levels.

4. Support Detoxification: This is the EASIEST AND SHOULD BE YOUR GO TO! Eat a balanced diet rich in fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients to support liver detoxification pathways. Stay hydrated and engage in regular physical activity to promote toxin elimination through sweat and urine. 

Conclusion:

Environmental toxins can exert profound effects on blood sugar regulation and metabolic health. By minimizing exposure to pollutants and adopting healthy lifestyle practices, you can support optimal blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of insulin resistance and diabetes. Incorporating toxin-reducing strategies into your daily life is essential for promoting overall well-being and longevity. Need some guidance on getting started? Click HERE

If you found this helpful, share with a friend! 

Don't forget to follow us on social 💖

References:

• Lee, D. H., Lee, I. K., Song, K., Steffes, M., Toscano, W., Baker, B. A., & Jacobs Jr, D. R. (2017). A strong dose-response relation between serum concentrations of persistent organic pollutants and diabetes: Results from the National Health and Examination Survey 1999-2002. Diabetes Care, 30(3), 622-628.
• Rajesh, P., & Balasubramanian, K. (2019). Bisphenol A exposure and insulin resistance/diabetes: Is it a causal relationship?. Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders, 20(2), 179-191.
• Shah, A. S., Langrish, J. P., Nair, H., McAllister, D. A., Hunter, A. L., Donaldson, K., ... & Mills, N. L. (2019). Global association of air pollution and heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet, 393(10173), 1703-1714.
• Nuvolone, D., Balzi, D., Chini, M., Scala, D., Giovannini, F., Barchielli, A., ... & Viegi, G. (2020). Short-term association between ambient air pollution and risk of diabetes mellitus in five Italian cities: the MAPEC_LIFE cohort. Environmental Health Perspectives, 128(7), 77001