Study: vitamin D does matter when it comes to glucose control

A new study from the University of Maryland sheds more light on the relationship between vitamin D and glucose control.

According to the study, women with a blood vitamin-D concentration at or above 26 ng/mL had lower body fat and blood glucose, as well as lower insulin and triglyceride levels than women with lower levels of vitamin D.

Currently, the Institute of Medicine recommends 20 ng/mL, while the Endocrine Society recommends 30 ng/mL.

"Our results...suggest that the [Institute of Medicine recommendation] of 20 ng/mL is probably too low," lead author John D. Sorkin told Medscape Medical News.

A controversial topic

Appropriate vitamin D intake is a debated topic in the medical community, the researchers explained, and recommendation guidelines are usually based on studies that have to do with bone metabolism.

The purpose of the current study - which included a population of both black and white overweight, sedentary postmenopausal women - was to gauge how vitamin D affects glucose tolerance, insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk factors, Dr. Sorkin said.

"A large, prospective interventional study in black and white women will be needed to confirm that increasing 25(OH)D concentration above [26 ng/mL] improves glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity with little improvement above this value," Dr. Sorkin concluded.

Source: Medscape