Vitamin D improves insulin handling, aids diabetic moms and their babies
Better insulin sensitivity, weight, and fat
Doctors wanted to test if a low- calorie diet plus vitamin D could improve insulin sensitivity in overweight people low in vitamin D. In this study, 18 obese, nondiabetic men and women, aged 18 to 70, deficient in vitamin D, went on a low-calorie diet, plus a placebo or 25,000 IU of vitamin D per week.
After three months, the placebo group had lost 10 percent of body weight while those taking vitamin D saw a 7.5 percent decrease. The placebo group lost an average of 2.4 pounds in fat mass, while the vitamin D group lost 3.2 pounds.
Vitamin D levels increased to 17 from 14 nanograms per milliliter of blood (ng/mL) for placebo, and doubled to 30 from 15 ng/mL for vitamin D. One in three in the placebo group saw a 20 percent improvement in insulin sensitivity compared to three in four of those taking vitamin D.
Pregnancy and diabetes
Women can develop diabetes during pregnancy, a condition called gestational diabetes. Doctors reviewed three vitamin D studies covering 223 women with gestational diabetes. Compared to placebo, women taking vitamin D saw lower total and LDL cholesterol levels, and increases in HDL, the “good” cholesterol. Also, the vitamin D group had lower levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, a sign of systemic inflammation.
In two other studies covering 129 women with gestational diabetes, babies born to mothers who had taken vitamin D during pregnancy were less likely to develop jaundice—a yellowing discoloration of the skin due to immature liver function.
Reference: Obesity Research Journal; 2018, Vol. 26, No. 4, 651-7
Natural Insights for Well Being February 2019
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