Vitamin D lowers risk of developing diabetes, finds new study

According to a new study Vitamin D may promote greater insulin sensitivity, thus lowering glucose levels and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The results of study have been published Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).

In the instant study involving 680 Brazilian women aged 35 to 74 years, the goal was to evaluate the possible association between vitamin D deficiency and increased glycemia.

Vitamin D is an essential vitamin; low levels are associated with poor bone and muscle health and other chronic conditions, such as heart disease and cancer.The benefits of vitamin D in promoting bone health are already well known. Other recent studies have shown a clear relationship between vitamin D and glycemic control, suggesting that vitamin D increases insulin sensitivity and improves pancreatic beta-cell function.Vitamin D deficiency appears to be related to the development of diabetes mellitus type 2 and the metabolic syndrome.

Of the women interviewed, 24 (3.5%) reported using vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D supplementation was found to be negatively associated with high glucose levels. Habitual exposure to the sun also provided the same association, demonstrating that vitamin D deficiencies are associated with high blood glucose levels.

Study results appear in the article "Higher serum levels of vitamin D are associated with lower blood glucose levels."

"Although a causal relationship has not been proven, low levels of vitamin D may play a significant role in type 2 diabetes mellitus," says Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton, NAMS executive director. "Vitamin D supplementation may help improve blood sugar control, but intervention studies are still needed."