Low levels of vitamin D in blood in adults are associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes, according to a study in Australia. After following more than 5,000 people for five years, researchers found that those with low levels of vitamin had a 57 percent increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those with levels within the recommended range.
"Studies like ours suggest that vitamin D levels in blood higher than recommended for maintaining bone health, reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes," said lead author Dr. Claudia Gagnon, the Western Hospital of the University of Melbourne. The Institute of Medicine recommends that American adults consume 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D daily to maintain circulating levels in the desired range.
Gagnon's team measured their vitamin D levels in 5,200 people without diabetes. After five years, 200 had developed diabetes. The team repeated the measurement, found that twice as many people (six in 100) with low vitamin D levels had developed diabetes, unlike with normal participants (three in 100).
When considering risk factors for the disease, including age, waist circumference and family history, the risk caused by the decrease of vitamin D grew by 57 percent, comparado con el riesgo en personas con niveles más altos de la vitamina."Los bajos niveles de vitamina D en sangre estuvieron asociados con un riesgo aumentado de desarrollar diabetes tipo 2. Pero los resultados no prueban una relación causa-efecto", dijo Gagnon. Para eso se necesitan más estudios, según escribe el equipo en la revista Diabetes Care.
Es difícil saber exactamente cuál es la relación entre la vitamina D y la diabetes, comentó el doctor Ian de Boer, profesor asistente de medicina de la University of Washington en Seattle. Pero la obesidad y la inactividad, que son los dos factores de riesgo clave de la diabetes tipo 2, pueden disminuir los niveles de vitamina D, explicó De Boer, who was not involved in the study.
Vitamin D is also associated with a reduced risk of developing asthma, heart disease and certain cancers. Still, there are not many evidence that supplements help prevent these diseases. The sun is the most important source of vitamin D. Salmon and fortified dairy products also contain lots of vitamin, said De Boer. The best way to reduce the risk of diabetes, she said, continues to exercise and healthy diet.
"There is no conclusive information that vitamin D supplementation reduce the risk of diabetes" De Boer concluded.
Vitadelia
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