With every passing day, an interesting news about diabetes hits the headlines. No wonder the disease is complex yet interesting for the researchers as it is for the patients. This time, it’s the turn of the sunshine vitamin, that is, how vitamin D may lower your Type 2 diabetes risk.
Vitamin D and Type 2 Diabetes: What Did The Study Find?
The 2017 study analyzed the data of 28,258 patients from different sources. At the end of the analysis, the investigators found that older adults who had higher levels of 25 hydroxyvitamin D were less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes in the future. On the contrary, lower levels of Vitamin D in serum could potentially be a risk factor.
What is Vitamin D? Know Its Role in Hormone Balance
Vitamin D (calciferol) is a prohormone and a fat-soluble vitamin. Exposure to the sun helps to synthesize this vitamin in the skin. So, it is often called the sunshine vitamin. Initially, the vitamin is inactive. However, it undergoes chemical transformation first in the liver (to 25-hydroxyvitamin D) and then in the kidneys to form the final active product called calcitriol.
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When converted into the active form, that is calcitriol, Vitamin D works to improve blood sugar control and reduce insulin sensitivity. That way, it might help to prevent or reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes. Not to forget that many studies do not support this mechanism.
In any case, it is clear that there is a close association between low serum levels of vitamin D and increased Type 2 diabetes risk.
What It Means For You
While it would be too early to jump to a conclusion solely based on this finding, taking a sunbath is definitely a good idea to get a suntan and lower the risk of future Type 2 diabetes (possibly). Just make sure you put a good sunscreen.
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[expand title=”References“]
Maturitas. URL Link. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
Disease Markers. URL LINK. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
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