The benefits of vitamin D in promoting bone health are already well known. A new study from Brazil suggested that vitamin D may also promote greater insulin sensitivity, thus lowering glucose levels and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Results were published online in Menopause, the journal of the North American Menopause Society (NAMS).
 
Other recent studies have shown a clear relationship between vitamin D and glycemic control, suggesting that vitamin D increases insulin sensitivity and improves pancreatic beta-cell function. In this cross-sectional study involving 680 Brazilian women aged 35 to 74 years, the goal was to evaluate the possible association between vitamin D deficiency and increased glycemia.
 
Of the women interviewed, 24 (3.5%) reported using vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D supplementation was found to be negatively associated with high glucose levels. Habitual exposure to the sun also provided the same association, demonstrating that vitamin D deficiencies are associated with high blood glucose levels. A serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level <30 ng/mL was positively associated with a blood glucose level ≥100 mg/dL, as was a serum 25(OH)D level <20 ng/mL.
 
Study results appeared in the article "Higher serum levels of vitamin D are associated with lower blood glucose levels."
 
"Although a causal relationship has not been proven, low levels of vitamin D may play a significant role in type 2 diabetes mellitus," said JoAnn Pinkerton, NAMS executive director. "Vitamin D supplementation may help improve blood sugar control, but intervention studies are still needed."