Vitamin D drastically reduces risk of type-2 diabetes

A high vitamin D level reduces the risk of type-2 diabetes by no less than a factor of five.

We all know I love research on Vitamin D and its effect on sporting performance especially.  But this is a great paper on general health and reduction of Diabetes type 2 risk

People with little vitamin D in their blood develop type-2 diabetes more often than people with a good vitamin D status. This is evident from epidemiological research, that was published recently in PLoS One.

Study
The researchers analyzed the data of 903 elderly inhabitants of a Californian city who had been examined in a clinic in 1997-1999. Their average age was 74, and none of them were diabetic at the time. Then the researchers followed the study participants until 2009.

Results

The more vitamin D there was in the blood of the study participants, the lower was their chance of developing diabetes. The group with the highest vitamin D level became diabetic five times less often than the group with the lowest concentration of vitamin D.

When the researchers statistically removed the effect of as many relevant lifestyle factors as possible using, the protective effect of vitamin D remained intact.

High vitamin D levels drastically reduce the risk of diabetes type-2

High vitamin D levels drastically reduce the risk of diabetes type-2

High vitamin D levels drastically reduce the risk of diabetes type-2

Conclusions

True, epidemiological research shows associations, and not every association is causal. But if a association is strong – as here – and also remains prominently present after brushing away all possible other relevant factors – such as here – then causality may be at play.

“Further research is needed on whether high 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels might prevent type 2 diabetes or the transition from pre-diabetes to diabetes”, says co-author Cedric Garland, from the University of California San Diego, in a press release. [sciencedaily.com April 19, 2018] “But this paper and past research indicate there is a strong association.”

Source:
PLoS One. 2018 Apr 19;13(4):e0193070.