糖尿病會影響葡萄糖的恆定及脂肪的代謝。血液中濃度太高的葡萄糖因擾亂體內抗氧化的狀態，造成體內細胞增加受氧化的壓力。銅和鋅在生物體內扮演抗氧化劑的角色，也與紅血球的超氧化物歧變�t的中心結構有關。我們取20個糖尿病病人與20個非糖尿病者血清及全血分析銅與鋅的含量變化，以及紅血球超氧化物歧變�t的活性影響。結果顯示糖尿病病人與非糖尿病者紅血球超氧化物歧變�t活性在統計上並無明顯差異（p>0.05），其血清銅亦無統計上的差異（p>0.05）。血清鋅含量在糖尿病病人則有極明顯的降低現象（p<0.001）。故血清鋅含量的降低可做為未來醫界判定糖尿病病情的一個新指標。

　　　　　Diabetes mellitus gives rise to abnormalities in glucose homeostasis and lipid metabolisin. There is considorable evidence of a disturbed antioxidant status in diabetes patients, probably owing to the increased oxidative stress caused by the high circulating blood glucose concentration. Copper and zinc function as antioxidants in biological system, and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD) is a copper-zinc associated enzyme. The concentrations of serum copper, serum zinc and the activity of erythrocyte SOD of 20 patients with diabetes mellitus and 20 non-diabetes mellitus persons were measured. There were no significant differences in erythrocyte SOD activity (p>0.05) and concentration of serum copper (p>0.05) between diabetes mellitus patients and the control group, Serum zinc, however was significantly lower in the diabetes mellitus patients (p<0.001). The low serum zinc status of the diabetic patients provides further evidence of a role for this antioxidant trace element in this disease.