Vitamin D is well known for its critical role in regulating skeletal metabolism. Recently, there has been speculation regarding whether the levels of vitamin D in the body are associated with juvenile diabetes.
This is largely because vitamin D receptors are present in immune cells and insulin-producing beta cells, as well as the impact of vitamin D on autoimmunity and the immune system in general.
According to recent studies, children with low levels of vitamin D are at a higher risk of developing islet autoimmunity, compared to those with higher levels. Islet autoimmunity is a condition where the immune system is unable to distinguish foreign elements from healthy cells and starts mistakenly attacking insulin-producing beta cells.
A study conducted by the Colorado School of Public Health shows that high levels of Vitamin D in the blood might play a preventive role against autoimmunity.
Type 1 diabetes can occur at any age. However, onset is most common during childhood. Statistics obtained from the American Diabetes Association show that around 1.25 people in the U.S have type 1 diabetes.
Vitamins D2 and D3 in the body are converted into calcidiol, a metabolite that is in turn metabolized into calcitriol. In the body, calcitriol is mainly responsible for helping prevent or suppress autoimmunity.
Studies suggest that Type 1 Diabetes can be partially attributed to damaged islet beta cells as a result of the immune system attacking itself. This promotes the hypothesis that vitamin D can help manage and prevent juvenile diabetes by regulating autoimmune responses.
The Relationship Between Vitamin D, Type 1 Diabetes, and Genes
Vitamin D is commonly known as the “sunshine vitamin”, because the sun is the main source of it. It is also present in various foods including, fatty fish, egg yolks, and cheese. Vitamin D is also available as a supplement.
Although studies show that vitamin D supplementation might help prevent and manage type 1 diabetes, the answer is not quite that simple. Your unique combination of genes could determine whether vitamin D supplementation will help prevent type 1 diabetes. The relationship between type 1 diabetes and vitamin D is influenced by enzymes involved in the metabolism of vitamin D, vitamin D binding protein, and genes for vitamin D receptors. As a result, responsiveness to supplementation with vitamin D varies depending on your genetic makeup.
Vitamin D and Diabetes – What Does Research Say?
Numerous studies have proven that supplementation with vitamin D especially during early childhood can help decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes. According to a Norwegian study, high levels of vitamin D particularly during the last trimester of pregnancy help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in offspring.
According to data compiled by Grassroots Health (a health research organization), infants who are given 4000 IU/day have a significantly lower incidence of type 1 diabetes.
However, the results have inconsistencies. A Finnish study on newborns showed that the concentration of vitamin D at birth was not linked with the risk of developing type 1 diabetes later in life.
Such inconsistent results can be attributed to the specific roles played by metabolism genes in the development of type 1 diabetes as a result of islet autoimmunity. For instance, according to a Norwegian study, a higher level of vitamin D in the blood at birth was linked to a significantly lower risk of type 2 diabetes in newborns with a specific genetic composition.
Can Vitamin D Supplementation Help Juvenile Diabetics?
Vitamin D supplementation would most likely have the best impact if done preventively. However, even for people who have already been diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, supplementation could help make them healthier and reduce the risk of developing other life-threatening or chronic conditions.
What’s next?
The relationship between type 1 diabetes and vitamin D is complicated by many different factors.
Therefore, further long-term studies with different dosing schedules should be conducted, while taking into account various factors such as individual genetic receptiveness to vitamin D and specific populations of juvenile diabetes patients.
Currently, various studies are being conducted with the main goal of identifying factors that protect against type 2 diabetes and those that trigger the condition. All these studies are also examining the effects of vitamin D supplementation. Recent findings suggest that higher levels of vitamin D during childhood can help prevent islet autoimmunity.
If more clinical studies can confirm a defensive role of vitamin D in type 1 diabetes, it will have a huge impact on the lives of predisposed people as well as those who have already been diagnosed with juvenile diabetes.
The positive impact will be realized particularly through regular monitoring of vitamin D levels and supplementation.
