Vitamin D and Blood Sugar Levels

Vitamin D is believed to help lower blood sugar levels as well as diabetes risk by improving the body’s response to the effects of insulin – the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. Of further interest, vitamin D status is associated with blood sugar levels, suggesting that restoration of vitamin D to healthy levels may have beneficial effects. An overwhelming body of clinical research supports the anti-diabetic properties of vitamin D:
1. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes and higher blood sugar levels. [562-581]
2. Vitamin D may help protect against type 2 diabetes by preventing insulin resistance, increasing insulin sensitivity (body’s response to the effects of insulin), and enhancing the function of the cells responsible for producing insulin. [582-584]
3. In patients with type 2 diabetes, vitamin D3 supplementation increases insulin secretion by 34.3%. [585]
4. In adults at risk for type 2 diabetes, vitamin D supplementation improves insulin secretion and reduces HbA1c, a three-month average measure of blood sugar levels. [586]
5. In African American diabetics, vitamin D supplementation reduces the rate of insulin sensitivity impairment by improving pancreatic insulin secretion. [587]
6. In subjects with vitamin D deficiency and impaired fasting glucose, supplementation with 10,000 IU of vitamin D daily for 4 weeks is associated with an increase in insulin sensitivity. [588]
7. In adults with type 2 diabetes, vitamin D treatment is associated with a modest reduction of HbA1C. [589]
8. In patients with type 2 diabetes, vitamin D supplementation has beneficial effects on blood sugar balance and insulin sensitivity. [590]
9. In patients with gestational diabetes, vitamin D supplementation improves blood sugar metabolism. [591]
10. In vitamin D-deficient or non-obese type 2 diabetes patients, vitamin D supplementation is safe and effective at improving blood sugar control. [592]
11. In pregnant women with gestational diabetes, vitamin D supplementation significantly decreases blood sugar levels. [593]
12. Vitamin D appears to have a “balancing effect” on blood sugar levels. [594]
13. In prediabetic individuals, vitamin D supplementation improves blood sugar measures and insulin sensitivity. [595]
14. In patients with type 2 diabetes, vitamin D supplementation decreases high blood sugar levels by improving beta cell secretion and insulin sensitivity. [596]
15. In patients with type 2 diabetes and in non-diabetics, vitamin D supplementation lowers fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and HbA1c. [597]
16. In obese hypertensive patients, vitamin D supplementation reduces HbA1c levels. [598]
17. In adults who are at high risk for diabetes type 2, vitamin D supplementation improves blood sugar control. [599]
18. In patients with type 2 diabetes, daily consumption of vitamin D- or vitamin D + calcium-fortified yogurt drink improves blood sugar levels. [600]
19. When combined with calcium, vitamin D may help improve blood sugar metabolism and significantly lower the risk of diabetes. [601-603]
20. Vitamin D lowers blood sugar levels by facilitating blood sugar transportation into different organs and regulating insulin receptor genes and insulin secretion. [604-605]