According to a 2022 Diabetes study, vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is exceedingly common in diabetes patients, affecting 49% of the total Type 2 diabetes population and 57% of women.
Recent studies have also demonstrated that increasing vitamin D intake can help support healthy glycemic control—especially for individuals with vitamin D deficiency that struggle with prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes.
Considering 29% of U.S. adults are deficient in vitamin D, up to 37% have prediabetes, and another 22 million are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, it’s safe to say that this issue is a national concern. Let’s dive into the connection between vitamin D and glycemic control.
How vitamin D regulates blood sugar & insulin secretion.
According to a 2017 review in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, animal studies demonstrate that 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (i.e., the active hormonal form of vitamin D3) has the vital role of stimulating pancreatic beta cells (where insulin is produced and stored) to secrete insulin.
As the body’s metabolic hormone, insulin helps modulate protein, carbohydrate, and fat metabolism, as well as facilitate healthy blood glucose levels. In Type 2 diabetes patients, the pancreas and cells have trouble regulating healthy insulin production and utilization.
As such, vitamin D deficiency is associated with insulin resistance and decreased insulin release. Likewise, individuals with prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes patients can better modulate their blood sugar balance and improve their insulin sensitivity by increasing their vitamin D3 intake.
How to achieve & maintain vitamin D sufficiency.
That said, reaching healthy vitamin D levels is sometimes easier said than done. Getting adequate vitamin D from food and safe sun exposure is nearly impossible, which leaves one effective method of increasing daily vitamin D intake: quality supplementation.
Leading health experts agree that the most efficient way to achieve truly optimal vitamin D status (i.e., blood serum levels of 50 ng/ml) is through premium vitamin D3 supplementation. If you want to reach and sustain vitamin D sufficiency, look for a supplement that delivers 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 (not D2) and, ideally, a built-in source of fat of enhanced bioavailability. (You can find mindbodygreen’s recommendations for best vitamin D supplements on the market here.)
The takeaway.
Vitamin D3 can help modulate healthy blood sugar levels, promote insulin sensitivity, and support healthy glycemic control—especially in prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes patients. Consider upping your D3 int
