Sorbic acid linked to higher odds of diabetes in women
What it found
In stored blood samples from women, higher levels of sorbic acid were linked to higher odds of later developing diabetes.
Three flavonoids were linked to lower odds.
What they found
Studies in people
Sorbic acid and diabetes
Higher levels of sorbic acid in the blood were linked to higher odds of later developing diabetes. The authors note it is a common synthetic food preservative.
Flavonoids and diabetes
Three flavonoids (two flavanones and one isoflavone) were linked to lower odds of developing diabetes.
Other compounds
Two fatty acyls and four polyketides were also linked to diabetes odds, some higher and some lower. One compound, podocarpic acid, was linked to much higher odds.
Animal and lab studies
Possible mechanisms
The authors mention that potassium sorbate is completely absorbed after being eaten and has been linked to cell damage in lab tests. They also note it may affect liver fat metabolism and inflammation.
What the authors conclude
“Sorbic acid, a common food preservative, was associated with greater odds of DM.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that sorbic acid, a common food preservative, was associated with greater odds of diabetes.
- They call for more studies to confirm these findings and understand how flavonoids and food additives might affect diabetes risk.
How it was done
The authors wanted to find dietary factors that might be changed to help prevent type 2 diabetes. They used blood markers instead of diet questionnaires to get a clearer picture of what people had actually taken in.
They compared stored blood samples from 50 women who later developed diabetes with 100 matched women who did not. The samples were taken 1 to 2 years before diagnosis and tested for 743 metabolomic features.
What it can’t tell you
- This kind of study cannot prove that sorbic acid causes diabetes, only that it was linked to higher odds.
- The blood levels were measured at only one point in time, so changes over time are not known.
- The study included mostly women with HIV, so the results may not apply to all people.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by NIAID NIH HHS; NHLBI NIH HHS; NIDDK NIH HHS; NCRR NIH HHS; NICHD NIH HHS (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
- Authors work at
- Emory University, United States of America; New York University Grossman School of Medicine, United States of America; Rutgers University, United States of America
The paper
- Title
- Plasma metabolomic analysis indicates flavonoids and sorbic acid are associated with incident diabetes: A nested case-control study among Women's Interagency HIV Study participants
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Yu EA, Alemán JO, Hoover DR, et al (2022). Plasma metabolomic analysis indicates flavonoids and sorbic acid are associated with incident diabetes: A nested case-control study among Women's Interagency HIV Study participants. PloS one. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0271207Free full textPubMed 35802662DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error