Frontiers in Endocrinology (May 2022)

Is Arsenic Exposure a Risk Factor for Metabolic Syndrome? A Review of the Potential Mechanisms

  • Pablo Pánico,
  • Myrian Velasco,
  • Ana María Salazar,
  • Arturo Picones,
  • Rosa Isela Ortiz-Huidobro,
  • Gabriela Guerrero-Palomo,
  • Manuel Eduardo Salgado-Bernabé,
  • Patricia Ostrosky-Wegman,
  • Marcia Hiriart

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2022.878280
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13

Abstract

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Exposure to arsenic in drinking water is a worldwide health problem. This pollutant is associated with increased risk of developing chronic diseases, including metabolic diseases. Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a complex pathology that results from the interaction between environmental and genetic factors. This condition increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. The MS includes at least three of the following signs, central obesity, impaired fasting glucose, insulin resistance, dyslipidemias, and hypertension. Here, we summarize the existing evidence of the multiple mechanisms triggered by arsenic to developing the cardinal signs of MS, showing that this pollutant could contribute to the multifactorial origin of this pathology.

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