The supplementation of vitamin D may be able to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in adults who are already pre-diabetics. The discovery was made by scientists at Tufts Medical Center, in Boston, in the United States.
In an article published this Monday (6) in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the group presents a review of three clinical trials that compare the impacts of vitamin D supplementation on the risk of diabetes.
They concluded that individuals who used vitamin D for three years had new-onset diabetes in 22.7% of cases.
Among those taking a placebo, the rate was 25%. This represents a 15% relative reduction in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Worldwide, an estimated 374 million adults are living with pre-diabetes. Taking into account the 15% rate of risk reduction, the authors of the article still estimate at global levels.
According to the researchers, Vitamin D supplementation may delay the development of type 2 diabetes in more than 10 million people.
And how does this happen? There is evidence that vitamin D has, among other functions in the body, a role in insulin secretion and glucose metabolism.
Previous studies have already found an association between low levels of vitamin D and a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
On the other hand, this is not about buying vitamin D capsules at the pharmacy and taking them on your own.
O Too Much Vitamin D Can Be Extremely Harmfulespecially for the kidneys.
In an editorial, researchers from University College Dublin warn that medical societies and professionals themselves have an obligation to inform about safe levels and limits of vitamin D intake.
Vitamin D: when to take a supplement and what is the safe dose