Vitamin D may improve insulin resistance

Having low levels of vitamin D in the blood has recently been linked to a variety of diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. The body can make vitamin D from exposure to sunlight, but that ability declines with age, so many older people are deficient in this nutrient. Researchers at The Rockefeller University Hospital are conducting a pilot study to see whether raising a person’s vitamin D level from below normal to normal can help him or her metabolize sugar. Ten people who are overweight (this increases the risk for vitamin D deficiency) and insulin-resistant will take 30,000 IUs (International Units) of vitamin D3—the form the body produces—each week for eight weeks. This is about 20 times the minimum daily intake recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the vitamin. The study is scheduled to conclude in early 2009. Researchers hope that the results will bring vitamin D supplements closer to one day becoming a treatment for insulin resistance.

Until the safety and effectiveness of this treatment are proven, all adults, including those with diabetes, should be getting 1,500 units of vitamin D daily, either in their food or as a supplement.