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Review
. 2020 Dec 1;105(12):3721-3733.
doi: 10.1210/clinem/dgaa594.

Vitamin D Supplementation for Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: To D or Not to D?

Anastassios G Pittas  1 , Rolf Jorde  2 , Tetsuya Kawahara  3 , Bess Dawson-Hughes  1
Affiliations
Review

Vitamin D Supplementation for Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: To D or Not to D?

Anastassios G Pittas et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. .

Abstract

Context: Over the last decade, vitamin D has emerged as a risk determinant for type 2 diabetes and vitamin D supplementation has been hypothesized as a potential intervention to lower diabetes risk. Recently, several trials have reported on the effect of vitamin D supplementation on diabetes prevention in people with prediabetes.

Evidence acquisition: A comprehensive literature review was performed using PubMed, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov to identify: (1) recent meta-analyses of longitudinal observational studies that report on the association between blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) level and incident diabetes, and (2) clinical trials of adults with prediabetes that have reported on the effect of vitamin D supplementation on incident diabetes.

Evidence synthesis: Longitudinal observational studies report highly consistent associations between higher blood 25(OH)D levels and a lower risk of incident diabetes in diverse populations, including populations with prediabetes. Trials in persons with prediabetes show risk reduction in incident diabetes with vitamin D supplementation. In the 3 large trials that were specifically designed and conducted for the prevention of diabetes, vitamin D supplementation, when compared with placebo, reduced the risk of developing diabetes by 10% to 13% in persons with prediabetes not selected for vitamin D deficiency.

Conclusions: Results from recent trials are congruent with a large body of evidence from observational studies indicating that vitamin D has a role in modulating diabetes risk. Participant-level meta-analysis of the 3 largest trials should provide a more refined estimate of risk reduction and identify patient populations that are likely to benefit the most from vitamin D supplementation.

Keywords: diabetes; prediabetes; prevention; type 2 diabetes; vitamin D.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Factors (determinants) that contribute to low blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentration. Factors shown in bold are also associated with a risk of type 2 diabetes.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

References

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