Relation Between Low Vitamin D Levels And Diabetes

Vitamin D is one of the most important vitamins of the human body, which is responsible for the efficient absorption of intestinal calcium and phosphate. This secosteriod which is obtained by the human body by exposure to sunlight and by eating vitamin-D rich foods plays an important role in a number of body processes.

A deficiency of this fat-soluble vitamin is known to adversely impact persons suffering from a number of illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and a number of other metabolic disorders. Particularly, low vitamin D levels in the body are linked to diabetes in a number of ways. Low levels of vitamin D have been found to increase the risk of mortality in persons suffering from type 1 & 2 diabetes.

Low Vitamin D Levels And Diabetes

Kidney Diseases

Low levels of vitamin D leads to the development of kidney diseases. When a person is diabetic, the kidney problems are more serious, as recovery is very slow and inefficient. 

Source: https://ufhealth.org/chronic-kidney-disease

Low levels of vitamin D leads to the unhealthy presence of protein in the urine, which is indicative of kidney diseases. The deficiency of vitamin D further aggravates the kidney problems in persons suffering from diabetes, eventually leading to kidney failure and death.

Eye Diseases

It is an established fact that diabetes weakens eye health. Low levels of vitamin D leads to diabetic retinopathy. This is one of the major causes of blindness in persons suffering from diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy results in the changes in the retinal blood vessels.  The blood vessels may start secreting pathogenic substances or some of them may grow on the retinal surface leading to blurring of vision.

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Type 1 Diabetes Prevention

Having adequate levels of vitamin D in the body in young adulthood prevents the risk of developing Type 1 diabetes in later life by about 50 percent.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the autoimmune system of the body damages the insulin-generating cells in the pancreas, permanently. Vitamin D is responsible for maintaining the health of the autoimmune system, thereby preventing type 1 diabetes.

Heart Disease

Persons with deficiency of vitamin D are at a risk of heart disease. Coupled with diabetes, which is a major cause of heart damage, the low level of vitamin D greatly increases the risk of mortality. Hence persons suffering from Diabetes stand a high chance of mortality with low vitamin D levels.

Multiple Sclerosis

Scientific studies show that high levels of vitamin D reduced the risk of multiple sclerosis, a disease that is epidemiologically and genetically associated with type 1 diabetes. It follows that low levels of vitamin D are associated with an increased risk of multiple sclerosis in persons with diabetes. It has been observed that a good level of vitamin D in the body greatly reduces the risk of autoimmune diseases and metabolic diseases such as diabetes.

Source: http://www.walgreens.com/marketing/library/contents.jsp?docid=000199&doctype=10

You should expose yourself adequately to the sun to synthesize this vitamin within your body. Fatty fish ( tuna, salmon, mackerel), dairy products ( orange juice, soy, milk and cereals), beef liver, cheese and egg yolk, are excellent dietary sources of vitamin D. These should be consumed adequately during adolescence to prevent diabetes in later life.