Saturday July 26, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- Zinc oxide, a form of nanoparticles that is often used as a supplemental source of zinc, may help patients with diabetes mellitus, according to a new animal study.

Diabetes mellitus has been associated in previous studies with an imbalance in zinc homeostasis and this link suggests that taking zinc supplements as a nutrient may help diabetes mellitus.

The study shows rats with diabetes mellitus orally supplemented with zinc oxide nanoparticles had increased glucose tolerance, 70% increased serum insulin, 29% reduced blood sugar, 40% reduced non-esterified fatty acids and 48% reduced triglycerides.

In the study, zinc oxide nanoparticles in doses of 1, 3 and 10 mg per kg body weight were tested for its anti-diabetic activity in rats with streptozotocin-induced Type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus.

The study also suggests that supplementation with zinc oxide nanoparticles were safe in a dose of up to a 300 mg/kg in rats.

The study concluded "Zinc oxide nanoparticles are a promising antidiabetic agent warranting further studies."

Comment:  Whether or not zinc oxide nanoparticles are safe depends on the definition, and it is not immediately clear what definition the authors used.   Based on the information available, it seems that this study was not geared to offer convincing evidence to prove that use of zinc oxide nanoparticles for a long term is safe.

Readers need to be aware of this: Nanoparticles are known to be able to disrupt DNA and potentially induce mutagenesis/carcinogenesis.  At high doses, nanoparticles can kill small fish.  The safety of nanoparticles such as zinc oxide, silicone dioxide, and titanium dioxide remains largely unknown while they are commonly employed in foods, dietary supplements and cosmetic products.

Best anti-diabetic products or dietary supplements are readily available.  No patients with diabetes mellitus should risk their lives to take zinc oxide as a diabetes drug.  Many nutritional or supplemental products such as spirulina, curcumin and cinnamon in addition to more than 30 types of alternative remedies and herbal supplements are available for food consumers to prevent diabetes mellitus in the first place. (David Liu)

Reference:  Rinku D Umrani1 & Kishore M Paknikar,  Zinc oxide nanoparticles show antidiabetic activity in streptozotocin-induced Type 1 and 2 diabetic rats, Nanomedicine, January 2014, Vol. 9, No. 1, Pages 89-104