Vitamin D does not improve glycemic control in prediabetes

(HealthDay)—Supplementation with vitamin D does not appear to improve glycemic indices or cardiovascular risk factors in individuals with prediabetes, according to research published online June 19 in Diabetes Care.

Stina Therese Sollid, of the University of Tromsø in Norway, and colleagues randomly assigned 511 individuals with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) to vitamin D3 or placebo.

At one year, the researchers observed no differences between the vitamin D group and placebo group in measures of glucose metabolism, insulin secretion, or insulin sensitivity. No differences were observed between the groups for blood pressure or serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level. Although a small but significant decrease in total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels was observed in the vitamin D group compared with the placebo group, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level decreased, and the change in total/HDL cholesterol ratio was not significant.

"This study shows that vitamin D supplementation does not improve glycemic indices, blood pressure, or lipid status in subjects with IFG and/or IGT," the authors write.

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