Two new studies presented at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society suggest a role for vitamin D in the prevention of diabetes and other chronic diseases. The so-called sunshine vitamin, proven to be important in bone health, has lately been linked to possible benefits against a wide range of diseases.In research on 1,300 Dutch men and women age 65 and older, those with low blood levels of vitamin D were about 40% more likely to have metabolic syndrome. A complex of conditions such as hypertension, obesity and poor insulin metabolism, metabolic syndrome is linked to greater danger of diabetes and heart disease. Overall, almost half the seniors tested had low blood levels of vitamin D, and 37% suffered from metabolic syndrome. Those with levels of vitamin D lower than 50 nanomoles per liter were more likely to have metabolic syndrome.Study co-author Marelise Eekhoff, MD, PhD, of VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam commented, Because metabolic syndrome increases the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, an adequate vitamin D level in the body might be important in the prevention of these diseases. The connection is plausible, Dr. Eekhoff said, because vitamin D deficiency has previously been linked to insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion.It is important, she added, to investigate the exact role of vitamin D in diabetes to find new and maybe easy ways to prevent it and cardiovascular disease.In a second study presented at the conference, Esther Krug, MD, of Johns Hopkins University and colleagues reviewed the medical charts of 124 type 2 diabetes patients at an endocrine outpatient facility. More than 90% of the patients, who ranged in age from 36 to 89, had insufficient or deficient levels of vitamin D. Only 6% were taking vitamin D supplements. Those with lower vitamin D levels were more likely to have higher blood-sugar readings.This finding supports an active role of vitamin D in the development of type 2 diabetes, said Dr. Krug. Noting that the patients had low vitamin D levels even though all had routine primary care before visiting the specialty facility, she added, Since primary care providers diagnose and treat most patients with type 2 diabetes, screening and vitamin D supplementation as part of routine primary care may improve health outcomes of this highly prevalent condition.TO LEARN MORE: The Endocrine Society www. endo-society.org
