Researchers' from the University of Glasgow, University of Bristol, University College London, and St George's, University of London have been awarded a £195,000 grant by Diabetes UK to investigate whether vitamin D has a role in reducing the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
'Sunshine vitamin' and reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes
Vitamin D, often known as the 'sunshine vitamin', increases in level when the skin is exposed to sunlight and is also found in foods such as oily fish and eggs. Increased vitamin D levels have previously been associated with a reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes. Until now, however, the direct causal link has never been fully investigated. The planned research project will look at factors that may explain this relationship and determine whether individuals have a genetic make-up that leads to higher vitamin D levels throughout their life are also at lower risk of Type 2 diabetes.
'Sunshine vitamin' and reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes
Vitamin D, often known as the 'sunshine vitamin', increases in level when the skin is exposed to sunlight and is also found in foods such as oily fish and eggs. Increased vitamin D levels have previously been associated with a reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes. Until now, however, the direct causal link has never been fully investigated. The planned research project will look at factors that may explain this relationship and determine whether individuals have a genetic make-up that leads to higher vitamin D levels throughout their life are also at lower risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Could vitamin D supplements help in diabetes prevention?
Lead researcher Professor Naveed Sattar from Glasgow University's Metabolic Medicine Group, said: "By taking advantage of well-characterised existing population studies commenced more than 12 years ago, we are now able to look at samples from 9,500 people to examine links between vitamin D levels and diabetes much more rigorously than previously attempted."
Diabetes UK hopes the research findings will help establish if there is a place for further research to test whether vitamin D supplementation can reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes along with other measures such as keeping active, watching your waistline and eating a healthy balanced diet.
Click here to see the rest of this article in Medical News Today Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/
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