Abstract
BackgroundLittle is known about the effects of environmental cobalt exposure on insulin resistance (IR) in the general adult population. We investigated the association between cobalt concentration and IR.MethodsA total of 1281 subjects aged more than 20 years with complete blood cobalt data were identified from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2015–2016 cycle. Blood cobalt levels were analyzed for their association with IR among all populations and subgroups by sex. Regression coefficients and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of blood cobalt concentrations in association with fasting glucose, insulin and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were estimated using multivariate linear regression after adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, alcohol consumption, body mass index, education level, and household income. A multivariate generalized linear regression analysis was further carried out to explore the association between cobalt exposure and IR.ResultsA negative association between blood cobalt concentration (coefficient = − 0.125, 95% CI − 0.234, − 0.015; P = 0.026) and HOMA-IR in female adults in the age- and sex-adjusted model was observed. However, no associations with HOMA-IR, fasting glucose, or insulin were found in the overall population. In the generalized linear models, participants with the lowest cobalt levels had a 2.74% (95% CI 0.04%, 5.50%) increase in HOMA-IR (P for trend = 0.031) compared with subjects with the highest cobalt levels. Restricted cubic spline regression suggested that a non-linear relationship may exist between blood cobalt and HOMA-IR.ConclusionsThese results provide epidemiological evidence that low levels of blood cobalt are negatively associated with HOMA-IR in female adults.
Highlights
Insulin resistance (IR) is a condition in which normal concentrations of insulin cause a smaller than expected response in blood glucose levels [1]
We explored the association between blood Co levels and insulin resistance (IR) using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHAN ES), a nationwide survey of the general population in the USA
Standard deviations of homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), fasting glucose, and insulin are listed in Supplemental Table 1 and classified by quartile of cobalt
Summary
Insulin resistance (IR) is a condition in which normal concentrations of insulin cause a smaller than expected response in blood glucose levels [1]. Cobalt can enter the body through the ingestion of contaminated food, respiration, skin absorption, and exposure to components of biomaterials [14]. It is only essential within a certain range, and a previous study has shown that normal serum values of cobalt are less than 0.5 μg/L [15]. These studies were experimental and examined only the short-term effects of excessive cobalt exposure.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
