Diabetes: Could vitamin D supplements slow progression?

Diabetes: Could vitamin D supplements slow progression?

Scientists have yet to prove whether vitamin D can treat or slow type 2 diabetes. A new study of people who have recently received a diagnosis of diabetes are at risk of developing it concludes that the vitamin may be beneficial.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), type 2 diabetes and prediabetes now affect more than 100 million people in the United States.

Prediabetes describes a state where in blood glucose levels are higher than normal, which increases the risk of developing diabetes.

In the U.S., an estimated 40% of adults are vitamin D deficient.

Some researchers have wondered if this might play a role in the development and progression of diabetes.

Early studies did find a link between low vitamin D levels and type 2 diabetes. For instance, a study from 2010 found that lower vitamin D levels were associated with reduced insulin sensitivity.

In type 2 diabetes, the body's cells become less sensitive to insulin. Therefore, insulin cannot control blood sugar levels so effectively.