Recent Study Identifies ‘Robust Association’ Between Benzene and Insulin Resistance in Humans

DURHAM, N.C. –– A recent study published in the Diabetes journal has identified a “robust association between exposure to benzene, a prevalent airborne VOC, and insulin resistance in humans across all ages.”

The article, entitled “Microglia Mediate Metabolic Dysfunction from Common Air Pollutants Through NF-kB Signaling,” was published in the December 2024 issue of Diabetes. The authors stated that it is the first meta-analysis establishing a “robust association between exposure to benzene, a prevalent airborne volatile organic compounds, and insulin resistance in humans across all ages.”

“We used a controlled benzene exposure system, continuous glucose monitoring approach, and indirect …