Vitamin D3 Plays a Role in Blood Sugar Control

By VRP Staff

Previous research suggests that low serum concentrations of vitamin D are associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes in which the body either does not produce enough insulin or the cells do not respond appropriately to the insulin. In the United States, an estimated 8 percent of the population has diabetes with another 57 million individuals with pre-diabetes.

In a new clinical trial, researchers evaluated the potential interaction between vitamin D supplementation and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is the condition in which the cells have diminished sensitivity and do not respond to normal insulin levels; the body must secrete increasing amounts of insulin in order to move glucose into the cells where it is needed for energy production.

The subjects in this new, randomized, double-blind study included women between the ages of 23-68 years with diagnosed insulin resistance and serum vitamin D levels less than 50 nmol/l. The women received 4,000 IU of vitamin D3 or placebo daily for 6 months. Blood tests including 25-hydroxyvitamin D and fasting insulin levels were measured at the beginning of the study and again after the treatment.

The results showed that supplementation with vitamin D3 significantly increased serum vitamin D levels from an average of 21 nmol/l at the beginning of the study to 75 nmol/l after 6 months of supplementation. Compared to the placebo group, insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance significantly improved and fasting levels of insulin decreased with vitamin D3 supplementation.

Furthermore, the researchers stated, “In conclusion, improving vitamin D status in insulin resistant women resulted in improved insulin resistance and sensitivity, but no change in insulin secretion. Optimal vitamin D concentrations for reducing insulin resistance were shown to be 80-119 nmol/l, providing further evidence for an increase in the recommended adequate levels.”

Reference:

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. 2009 Sep 28:1-7. Published Online Ahead of Print.