Diabetes and other disease linked to nitrates in environment

July 6, 1:03 PMCharlotte Health and Happiness ExaminerKathleen Blanchard RN

A study from researchers at Rhode Island Hospital shows a distinct link between deaths from type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease and  the environment. The study shows that eating processed foods with nitrates, as well as exposure to environmental sources of nitrate compounds, such as fertilizer, plays a crucial role in the development of diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

 Suzanne de la Monte, MD, MPH, of Rhode Island Hospital led the study. She says, “We have become a 'nitrosamine generation.' In essence, we have moved to a diet that is rich in amines and nitrates, which lead to increased nitrosamine production”. Nitrates that increase death from disease are abundantly used in agriculture. Ninety percent are found to cause cancer in humans and animals. The study author adds, “Not only do we consume them in processed foods, but they get into our food supply by leeching from the soil and contaminating water supplies used for crop irrigation, food processing and drinking.”

According to the findings, there was no association between deaths from HIV, and cerebrovascular disease such as stroke from nitrates and nitrites in food and the environment.

Nitrates and nitrites are plentiful. They are found in cheese, beer, water, lunch meats, cured meats and even cosmetics. Pesticides, fertilizers and rubber use nitrates in the manufacturing process. The study adds to a growing body of evidence that nitrates and nitrites add to disease burden in humans and animals.

Nitrosamines are formed under high heat conditions and from stomach acid. Flame broiling meat with nitrites and nitrates produces nitrosamines which causes damage to DNA. The researchers suggest those DNA changes are similar to changes that occur with aging and the development of diabetes, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

"All of these diseases are associated with increased insulin resistance and DNA damage. Their prevalence rates have all increased radically over the past several decades and show no sign of plateau. Because there has been a relatively short time interval associated with the dramatic shift in disease incidence and prevalence rates, we believe this is due to exposure-related rather than genetic etiologies,” write the authors.

The researchers propose that mortality from nitrate and nitrites is real, but they do recognize that aging is also associated with type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. However, when the researchers compared death rates among 75 to 84 year olds, from 1968 to 2005, there was a dramatic increase in deaths from the diseases, compared to cerebrovascular disease which is also age-related.

The study concluded that environmental exposure to nitrates and nitrites is consistent with increased deaths from type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. "If this hypothesis is correct, potential solutions include eliminating the use of nitrites and nitrates in food processing, preservation and agriculture; taking steps to prevent the formation of nitrosamines and employing safe and effective measures to detoxify food and water before human consumption",  stated De la Monte.

The development of processed foods and use of nitrates in the environment correlates with deaths from Alzheimer’s disease, type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s disease, found in the study. The incidence could not be explained by gene mutation or just aging. The authors propose we need to clean up our food supply to get rid of harmful nitrates that promote death and disease burden.

Rhode Island Hospital