Vitamin D to lower the risk of Diabetes

Narinder Duggal, MD, FRCPC

High levels of vitamin D can reduce the risk of cardiometabolic disorders in middle-aged and elderly people by 43%. These results were reported by researchers of the University of Warwick. The study also found a 55% reduction in the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes as well as a 51% reduction of the likelihood of developing metabolic syndrome with higher vitamin D levels.¹ Traditionally known for preventing Rickets, vitamin D is not only responsible for maintaining bone health, but may also have a positive effect on a number of other health problems such as heart disease, cancer, depression, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and diabetes.

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that causes high blood glucose levels due to the inability to process or use insulin, the hormone responsible for transferring glucose into cells to give them energy. Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in America and has the greatest impact on the middle-aged and elderly people. One in five adults over age 60 has diabetes.² Heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and diabetic neuropathy are some of the potential complications of diabetes.³

Vitamin D may be an important factor in fighting diabetes. Being a potent immunomodulator,⁴ vitamin D has important biologic effects on glucose metabolism,⁵ insulin secretion and insulin action.⁶ Therefore, vitamin D deficiency has been considered ta factor in the pathogenesis of diabetes.^7-9Several intervention studies have supported that vitamin D, or its active metabolite 1,25- dihydroxyvitamin D improves insulin sensitivity.¹⁰

A prospective study by Knekt et al demonstrated that individuals with low vitamin D levels are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. This study utilized two large Finnish cohorts of 7503 subjects aged 40-74 years and were monitored for 22 years.^11,12 It was concluded that men with healthy vitamin D levels were at a 72% lower risk of diabetes than those who had vitamin D deficiency. Similarly, another large prospective study concluded that vitamin D and calcium intake had a beneficial role in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.¹³ In this study, 83,779 women, who had no history of diabetes, cardiovascular disease or cancer, were assessed for a period of 20 years. A total of 4,843 diabetic cases were documented during the study. It was found that a combined daily intake of more than 1200 mg calcium and 800 IU vitamin D was associated with a 33% lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

A placebo controlled double-blind clinical study found that vitamin D supplementation has a positive impact on insulin resistance syndrome.^14,15 In this study 81 South Asian women between the ages of 23-68 years, with insulin resistance syndrome, were evaluated. They were assigned to take either 4000IU of vitamin D3 or a placebo. After 6 months, insulin resistance dramatically improved in the vitamin D group. An animal study in 2008 has also demonstrated that vitamin D has a renal-protective role in diabetic nephropathy, a common complication of diabetes.¹⁶

Medical literature supports a relationship between vitamin D deficiency and type 1 diabetes.¹⁷ Prominent researchers have recommended vitamin D supplementation to add protection for those at risk of developing type 1 diabetes. Furthermore, new evidence has also shown that vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy may contribute to the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus.¹⁸ A study in 2009 indicated that 75% of pregnant women in UK are vitamin D insufficient.¹⁹ Maternal vitamin D insufficiency is associated with type 1 diabetes. Vitamin D supplementation may help restore maternal vitamin D sufficiency which, not only allows good fetal development but also negatively affects chronic disease susceptibility soon after birth and later in life.¹⁸

If you have diabetes or you have been diagnosed with a pre-diabetic condition, ask your health care professional for a 25OH vitamin D3 blood test. Vitamin D10 supplementation from Synergy Therapeutics RX along with a fundamental lifestyle changes may increase your protection from developing diabetes.

References:

1.   Parker J, Hashmi O, Dutton D, et al. Levels of vitamin D and cardiometabolic disorders: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Maturitas;65(3):225-36. (PUBMED Abstract)
2.   http://www.cdcfoundation.org/healththreats/diabetes.aspx. (Open Link)
3.   http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/complications/. (Open Link)
4.   Holick MF. Diabetes and the vitamin d connection. Curr Diab Rep 2008;8(5):393-8. (PUBMED Abstract)
5.   Alvarez JA, Ashraf A. Role of vitamin d in insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity for glucose homeostasis. Int J Endocrinol;2010:351385. (PUBMED Abstract)
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7.   Su Y, Ye L. Can vitamin D intake assist in improving the outcome of endodontic treatment for diabetic patients? Med Hypotheses 2009. (PUBMED Abstract)
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12.   Michos ED. Vitamin D deficiency and the risk of incident Type 2 diabetes. Future Cardiol 2009;5(1):15-8. (PUBMED Abstract)
13.   Pittas AG, Dawson-Hughes B, Li T, et al. Vitamin D and calcium intake in relation to type 2 diabetes in women. Diabetes Care 2006;29(3):650-6. (PUBMED Abstract)
14.   Barengolts E. Vitamin D Role and Use for Pre-Diabetes. Endocr Pract:1-28. (PUBMED Abstract)
15.   von Hurst PR, Stonehouse W, Coad J. Vitamin D supplementation reduces insulin resistance in South Asian women living in New Zealand who are insulin resistant and vitamin D deficient - a randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Br J Nutr;103(4):549-55. (PUBMED Abstract)
16.   Li YC. Vitamin D and diabetic nephropathy. Curr Diab Rep 2008;8(6):464-9. (PUBMED Abstract)
17.   Luong K, Nguyen LT, Nguyen DN. The role of vitamin D in protecting type 1 diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Metab Res Rev 2005;21(4):338-46. (PUBMED Abstract)
18.   Lapillonne A. Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy may impair maternal and fetal outcomes. Med Hypotheses;74(1):71-5. (PUBMED Abstract)
19.   Holmes VA, Barnes MS, Alexander HD, et al. Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in pregnant women: a longitudinal study. Br J Nutr 2009;102(6):876-81. (PUBMED Abstract)