How zinc and chilli could hold the key to insulin resistance

July 2022

A therapeutic ‘window of opportunity’ to treat type 2 diabetes

“Prevention strategies that take advantage of the 'window of opportunity’ to prevent or lessen disease progression would have an enormous impact on the health and wellbeing of our communities.”

Type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest growing chronic diseases in the world. By 2040 it’s estimated more than 642 million people could be impacted.

Before developing type 2 diabetes, a patient will experience insulin resistance – a disorder in which tissues such as the skeletal muscle do not respond efficiently to insulin, and therefore, fail to supply the body with adequate glucose for energy.

For years Tasmanian researcher Dr Stephen Myers has been exploring the “window of opportunity” at the early stage of insulin resistance, targeting clinical preventions of type 2 diabetes. 

A 2018 study funded by the Clifford Craig Foundation explored the zinc activation of the enzymes responsible for insulin signalling.

‘Capsaicin and Zinc Promote Glucose Uptake in C2C12 Skeletal Muscle Cells through a Common Calcium Signalling Pathway’ has now been published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

Capsaicin (an active component of chilli peppers) and zinc have both been highlighted as potential treatments of glucose metabolism disorders.

However, research into the effects of these two natural compounds on the signalling pathways involved in glucose metabolism remained less clear – until now.

Dr Myers’ study demonstrated for the first time that capsaicin and zinc treatment promotes glucose uptake through calcium signalling, independent of insulin in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells.

The results suggest that targeting calcium signalling pathways activated by capsaicin and zinc in skeletal muscle may have beneficial effects on glucose metabolism in carbohydrate metabolism disorders, such as type 2 diabetes.

Considering insulin resistance can occur up to a decade before the development of type 2 diabetes, Dr Myers said early clinical interventions were crucial in combatting one of the world’s most harmful chronic diseases.

“A foremost concern for people with insulin resistance is the eventual failure of the pancreas to produce insulin,” he said.

“Thus, these patients will eventually succumb to life-long episodes of illness and unfavourable side-effects associated with anti-diabetic treatments.

“Therefore, prevention strategies that take advantage of the 'window of opportunity' [before pancreatic failure] to prevent or lessen disease progression would have an enormous impact on the health and wellbeing of our communities.”

Dr Myers work in this area remains ongoing.