Vitamin D is deemed a vital vitamin needed in humans. Doctors suggest that its deficiency may result in diseases. A new study examines the role of vitamin D for the prevention of type 2 diabetes.
Vitamin D is usually produced in the skin of a person via sun rays. Vitamin D is also found in some food items such as salmon, mackerel and eggs. Scientists believe that the deficiency of vitamin D might be detrimental to health and can result in many medical conditions such as bone fractures, cancers and respiratory diseases. One in ten people in the UK suffer from the lack of vitamin D.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that type 2 diabetes accounts for 90 percent to 95 percent of the total diabetes cases in the country. This type of diabetes is typically linked with obesity, old age, lack of physical activity and family history. Previous studies have also suggested that deficiency of vitamin D may also lead to this type of diabetes.
However, Dr. Nita Forouhi of the University of Cambridge's School of Clinical Medicine, who is the author of the new study, suggests that they were unable to find a direct link between type 2 diabetes and vitamin D. Dr. Forouhi explains that her team examined the connection between the risk of getting diabetes and vitamin D by evaluating the genes, which controls the blood intensities of vitamin D.
The findings of the latest study reveal that increasing vitamin D concentrates in an attempt to lower the risk of getting type 2 diabetes is not acceptable.
The researchers also suggest that other observational studies, which indicate a consistent and strong link between the increased risk of type 2 diabetes and deficiency of vitamin D, may continue to do so.
"They have thus far not been able to adequately control for distorting or confounding factors, such as physical activity levels, that may be related both to vitamin D levels and to the risk of type 2 diabetes," per the study.
Dr. Forouhi added that type 2 diabetes can be prevented by a balanced diet and regular physical activity.
The researchers say that the findings of the study should be carefully interpreted. Long-term trials that are already underway to find a possible link between type 2 diabetes and vitamin D still remain important.
The study has been published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal.
