Pre-diabetics And Those At High Risk – Good News About Vitamin D
Recently newspapers have brought us news about vitamin D's essential role in alerting the immune system. Everyone has long been aware of this nutri...
Recently newspapers have brought us news about vitamin D’s essential role in alerting the immune system. Everyone has long been aware of this nutrients role in reversing bone loss when combined with calcium
You may not have heard that vitamin D has an even bigger role in delaying or preventing diabetes.
It has long been suspected that a vitamin D deficiency may contribute to the development of type 1 diabetes; this as a result of animal and human observations.
Recently evidence is accumulating suggesting that altered vitamin D and calcium balances may have something to do with the development of type 2 diabetes.
There appears to be a relatively consistent association between low vitamin D status, calcium and type 2 diabetes as well as the onset of metabolic syndrome. Evidence from trials with vitamin D with and without calcium suggests that the two together may have a role in the prevention of the disease.
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 see