Health Information Blog

A recent article in the news about the sunshine vitamin indicated that vitamin D is necessary to activate the immune system. We were already well aware of it’s benefits to calcium metabolism.

You may not have heard that vitamin D has an even bigger role in delaying or preventing diabetes.

Vitamin D deficiency has long been thought a risk factor for type 1 diabetes. This was based on animal and human observational studies.

Recently evidence is accumulating suggesting that altered vitamin D and calcium balances may have something to do with the development of type 2 diabetes.

Both type 2 diabetes as well as metabolic syndrome are associated with low vitamin D levels, and its imbalance with calcium. Research using Vitamin D alone, or vitamin D with calcium has produced evidence that the two together do have a clear role to play in the avoidance of diabetes.

High risk populations seem to benefit the most from the supplementation of vitamin D and calcium: the obese, the elderly, Hispanics and certain ethnic groups, a family history of diabetes, and so on.

One function of vitamin D is that it preserves insulin secretion as well as the potency of the released insulin. Other evidence suggests that low circulating insulin levels is associated with increasing insulin resistance.

How much vitamin D should you take to avoid the start of diabetes? That question has not been answered yet. Too much vitamin D isn’t smart. It is an oil soluble vitamin which means it accumulates, it builds up. The usually recommended daily dose is 400 international units, that’s what most stores carry. 1500 milligrams of calcium is also an average dose. Professional might recommend a different balance.

Anastassios G. Et al. The Role of Vitamin D and Calcium in type 2 diabetes. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Clin Endocrine Metab. 2007; 92: 2017-2029

Alvarez JA, Ashram A. Role of Vitamin D in Insulin Secretion and Insulin Sensitivity for Glucose Homeostasis. Int J Endocrin.

There is much more to say about how different nutrients help one resist diabetes, so seepre-diabetic cures #1