Wednesday Sept 9, 2015 (foodconsumer.org) -- Exposure to perfluornated compounds such as Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoDA) may increase risk of insulin resistance while taking vitamin C supplements may protect against the toxic effect of these perfluornated compounds, according to a new study published in European Journal of Nutrition.
Perfluorooctane sulfonate is an environmentally persistent pollutant and was in the past used as a key ingredient in Scotch Gard, a fabric protector made by 3M, according to wikipedia. The current study suggests that exposure to both PFOS and PFDoDA may increase risk for insulin resistance.
The trial study showed perfluorinated compounds induced oxidative stress, which is positively related to insulin resistance, which is the prime parameter of diabetes mellitus, and vitamin C supplementation relieved oxidative stress induced by these chemicals.
In the trial, 141 elderly people were randomly assigned to receive vitamin C or placebo for four weeks. At baseline and the end of the trial, serum levels of perfluorinated compounds and urinary malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were measured. To assess insulin resistance, levels of fasting glucose and insulin were also measured and the HOMA index was calculated.
The trial results showed that levels of PFOS and PFDoDA were positively associated with the HOMA index at baseline and after placebo treatment and high risk for insulin resistance was found in those with high serum levels of these compounds.
Interestingly, vitamin C supplementation minimized the effect of these compounds in HOMA index, suggesting that the antioxidant can protect against the oxidative stress induced by these compounds.
The trial also showed both PFOS and PFDoDA increased levels of MDA and 8-OHdG and MDA levels were positively associated with the HOMA index.
The study concluded that "PFOS and PFDoDA exposures were positively associated with IR and oxidative stress, and vitamin C supplementation protected against the adverse effects of PFOS and PFDoDA on IR." (David Liu)
Jin Hee Kim, Hye Yin Park, Jung Dae Jeon, Younglim Kho, Seung-Kyu Kim, Min-Seon Park, Yun-Chul Hong , The modifying effect of vitamin C on the association between perfluorinated compounds and insulin resistance in the Korean elderly: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial, European Journal of Nutrition, First online: 05 May 2015
