Vitamin D lowers risk of developing diabetes

#Diabetes, #BloodSugar, #VitaminD; #North American Menopause Society; #DrJoAnnPinkerton; #Diabetesstudies; #type2diabetes

New York, Jan 30 (Canadian-Media): Apart from the well-known  benefits of vitamin D in promoting bone health, a new study from Brazil -- a vast South American country -- suggests that vitamin D also promotes greater insulin sensitivity and lowers glucose levels as well as the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, media reports said.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when the insulin sensitivity of the body decreases.

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680 Brazilian women aged 35 to 74 years participated in this crosssectional study, with a goal to evaluate the possible association between vitamin D deficiency and increased glycemia.

Of the women interviewed, 3.5 percent of them (24) reported using vitamin D supplements, which was found to be negatively associated with high glucose levels. 
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Study results appeared in the article “Higher serum levels of vitamin D are associated with lower blood glucose levels” published online today today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).

A clear relationship between vitamin D and glycemic control, has been shown in other recent studies, suggesting that vitamin D increases insulin sensitivity and improves pancreatic beta-cell function.

“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, executive director of NAMS. “Vitamin D supplementation may help improve blood sugar control, but intervention studies are still needed.”  

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)