Zinc Supplementation Improves Cardiovascular Morbidity in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus

Oral zinc supplementation in patients with diabetes mellitus can improve glycemic control. However, there is reluctance to recommend zinc supplements to these patients because there is no evidence that the zinc-dependent improvement in glycemic control offers protections from the cardiovascular morbidities associated with diabetes mellitus, especially myocardial infarction and thrombotic stroke. The investigators are conducting a randomized, double blind, cross over study to test the hypothesis that oral zinc supplementation will block the enhanced cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and platelet reactivity that lead to myocardial infarction and stroke in research participants with diabetes mellitus.