Type 2 Diabetes - Study Links Hemoglobin Levels With Diabetic Retinopathy

By Beverleigh H Piepers

In April of 2018, the journal Science Reports published an article on hemoglobin and the likelihood of people with Type 2 diabetes developing diabetic retinopathy. There are about 500,000 molecules of hemoglobin per red blood cell...

each hemoglobin molecule, due to its iron content, carries two oxygen molecules from the lungs through to the rest of the body.

oxygen is what makes blood cells red.

When the hemoglobin in red blood cells gives up its oxygen molecules to the rest of the body, the blood cells then become blue. This is why blood in the veins is blue, and blood in the arteries is red.

As in everything in the human body, some individuals have more hemoglobin than others. Hemoglobin is one of the things that are measured when blood samples are taken. Anemia, consisting of low levels of red blood cells or low hemoglobin levels, raises the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. In this particular disease, the back of the eyes produces weak red blood cells that are not able to carry blood well and can cause blood to spill into the eyeball and threaten vision.

Researchers at Myongji Hospital and several other research facilities in Korea compared the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy with the amount of hemoglobin in the blood. A total of 2,123 people who had been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and at least 30 years of age were included. Over a four-year period, the participants had photographs taken of their eyes...

those people without diabetic retinopathy as seen in the photographs, averaged about 1 g/dL higher hemoglobin levels than those with the condition.

anemia was seen at three times the rate in the people with diabetic retinopathy than in those without.

A 19 percent lower risk of diabetic retinopathy was observed for every 1 g/dL increase in hemoglobin level. Several causes can result in anemia...

the bone marrow can be faulty in making red blood cells,

red blood cells can be destroyed in some conditions, and

iron deficiency can mean too little raw material.

Iron deficiency anemia is the commonest type. It can result in...

tiredness,

heart palpitations, and

paleness.

Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach (remember Popeye?) and legumes can supply iron. Nuts, seeds, whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, and dried fruits such as prunes, apricots, and raisins are other sources. One cup of green peas, with 118 calories, supplies 11 percent of an adult's daily need for iron.

Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.

For nearly 25 years Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.

The answer isn't in the endless volumes of    available information but in yourself.