This Vitamin Can Improve Blood Sugar—Especially If You Have Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is a complex metabolic health disorder, but research has revealed one nutritional technique that can help prevent the progression of prediabetes to diabetes, reduce Type 2 diabetes risk, and even lessen symptoms: increasing your vitamin D intake.

Recent studies have also demonstrated that increasing vitamin D intake can help support healthy glycemic control—especially for individuals with vitamin D deficiency that struggle with prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes. 

Considering 29% of U.S. adults1 are deficient in vitamin D, up to 37% have prediabetes2, and another 22 million are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, it's safe to say that this issue is a national concern.

Let's dive into the connection between vitamin D and glycemic control.

How vitamin D regulates blood sugar & insulin secretion

According to a 2017 review in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, animal studies demonstrate that 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (i.e., the active hormonal form of vitamin D3) has the vital role of stimulating pancreatic beta cells3 (where insulin is produced and stored) to secrete insulin. 

As the body's metabolic hormone, insulin helps modulate protein, carbohydrate, and fat metabolism, as well as facilitate healthy blood glucose levels. In Type 2 diabetes patients, the pancreas and cells have trouble regulating healthy insulin production and utilization.

As such, vitamin D deficiency is associated with insulin resistance and decreased insulin release.

Likewise, individuals with prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes patients can better modulate their blood sugar balance and improve their insulin sensitivity by increasing their vitamin D3 intake.

How to achieve & maintain vitamin D sufficiency

That said, reaching healthy vitamin D levels is sometimes easier said than done. Getting adequate vitamin D from food and safe sun exposure is nearly impossible, which leaves one effective method of increasing daily vitamin D intake: quality supplementation.

Leading health experts agree that the most efficient way to achieve truly optimal vitamin D status (i.e., blood serum levels of 50 ng/ml) is through premium vitamin D3 supplementation.

If you want to reach and sustain vitamin D sufficiency, look for a supplement that delivers 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 (not D2) and, ideally, a built-in source of fat of enhanced bioavailability. (You can find mindbodygreen's recommendations for best vitamin D supplements on the market here.)

The takeaway

Vitamin D3 can help modulate healthy blood sugar levels, promote insulin sensitivity, and support healthy glycemic control—especially in prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes patients. Consider upping your D3 intake to achieve vitamin D sufficiency and optimize your overall metabolic health.