Does Vitamin D Supplementation Improve Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetics?
Following the ground breaking discovery of the Calcium-sensing-Receptor, CaR, several studies have been conducted to study the role of calcium in the development of type 2 diabetes. Numerous surveys suggested that an increased calcium intake led to a lower BMI, adiposity, and ultimately a decreased risk of developing diabetes. Since it could be that adequate calcium levels in the body indirectly caused an improved vitamin D status in such subjects, studies, regarding vitamin D supplementation and the development and control of diabetes, were also conducted. Another hypothesis regarding the role of vitamin D in Type 2 Diabetes is its ability to increase insulin receptors in peripheral tissues. This hypothesis has been tested on animals with positive results in regards to insulin secretion and receptivity at the periphery. Its definitive role in humans is in question. (Jorde & Figenschau, 2009)