Can vitamin D lower a person’s risk for type 2 diabetes? The
National Institutes of Health (NIH) has high hopes that it can.
The NIH is donating millions of dollars to fund research
that will investigate whether or not vitamin D supplements can effectively
prevent type 2 diabetes, Medical Daily reported. The Vitamin D and Type 2 Diabetes study –
also known as D2d – will involve more than 20 health centers across the United
States. Each health center has pledged to take up the task of analyzing vitamin
D’s potential benefits.
The researchers cited the recent increase in the use of
vitamin D supplements as a motivating factor for their study.
“Vitamin D use has risen sharply in the U.S. in the last 15
years, since it has been suggested as a remedy for a variety of conditions,
including prevention of type 2 diabetes,” said Dr. Myrlene Staten, the project
officer for D2d at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney
Diseases. “But we need rigorous testing to determine if vitamin D will help
prevent diabetes. That’s what D2d will do.”
The study will follow more than 2,500 volunteers, over the
age of 30, who have been diagnosed with prediabetes, a condition characterized
by glucose levels that are higher than normal.
According to Medical Daily, half of the participants will receive 4,000
international units (IUs) of vitamin D and the other half will receive a
placebo.
According
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25.8 million Americans (8.3
percent of the population) suffer from diabetes, and 18.8 million Americans
remain undiagnosed. Characterized by the
body’s inability to properly metabolize sugar, type 2 diabetes can lead to a
range of health problems, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, nerve
damage, kidney failure and many more.
Source : Foxnews.com
Source : Foxnews.com
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