Is Arsenic in the Drinking Water Linked to Diabetes?

The amount of arsenic in drinking water varies from place to place, but levels are monitored for safety by water authorities throughout the USA. Some organizations, such as the National Resources Defense Council list alarming risks and suggest people should install filters specifically to block arsenic. And, they say, bottled water is no solution. Other sources – e.g. the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA – give the concentrations regarded as safe, and how to find out whether individual water supplies have a problem in this respect.

Most people, quite rightly, give little thought to the arsenic levels in their drinking water. But a new report in the Journal of the American Medical Association may give them pause. A study of 788 people over 20 drawn from the NHANES survey had their urine arsenic levels determined. The overall frequency of type 2 diabetes was 7.7%. The subjects with type 2 diabetes had a 26% higher level of arsenic in their urine than the non-diabetic subjects. This was after adjustments were made for possible interference from diabetic risk factors and seafood intake (a source of consumed arsenic). Could it be true that type 2 diabetes is more likely in people who consume more arsenic? Maybe it’s time to get more proactive about water quality in your neighborhood.