新研究发现：牙膏增白剂或引发糖尿病_时事

新研究发现：牙膏增白剂或引发糖尿病

增白剂在我们的日常生活中应用广泛，牙膏、化妆品、药品、防晒霜、墙漆、纸张……到处都有它的踪迹。近日新研究发现，我们离不开的增白剂可能是2型糖尿病的罪魁祸首之一。以后还能安心地刷牙吗？

A common chemical which turns things like food, medicines, toothpastes and paper white could cause type 2 diabetes, a study has found. Titanium dioxide is widely used in food and cosmetics for its brilliant white properties, but scientists found it crystallises in the pancreas of diabetics. The small study by the University of Texas suggests people without diabetes do not have the chemical in the body, which could point to a groundbreaking link between the condition and everyday objects.

一项研究发现，食品、药品、牙膏和纸张生产中常见的增白剂可能是2型糖尿病的元凶之一。二氧化钛因其增白特性被广泛应用于食品和化妆品中，但科学家在糖尿病患者的胰腺中发现了二氧化钛的结晶。得克萨斯大学的这项小型研究指出，没有糖尿病的人体内没有这种化学物质，这一突破性发现可能意味着糖尿病和增白剂之间有联系。

WHAT IS TITANIUM DIOXIDE?

什么是二氧化钛？

Titanium dioxide is a fine white powdered form of the metal element titanium. The chemical is not thought to occur naturally inside the human body. It is commonly used around the world because it is brilliant white and can be used to colour a huge range of objects. Everyday items which are likely to contain titanium dioxide as a colourant include toothpaste, suncream, makeup – in which it is used to brighten the skin, plastics, paper, wall paint, ink and white medicine pills. Researchers say the chemical may enter the human bloodstream if it is inhaled or eaten.