Vitamin D deficiency means higher death risk in Type 2 diabetes patients

November 14 is the World Diabetes Day.  We publish a report below to help readers understand the risk of type 2 diabetes.

A new study in Diabetes Care - a journal of American Diabetes Association suggests diabetes with severe vitamin D deficiency are at much higher risk of dying from all causes and cardiovascular disease compared with others.

The study led by Christel Joergensen, M.D. of Steno Diabetes Center in Gentofte, Denmark and colleagues showed diabetes patients with severe vitamin D deficiency defined as having less than 13.9 nmol/L were 95 percent more likely than those whose vitamin D levels were higher than 13.9 nmol/L.

For the study, the researchers followed 289 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with 172 having normoalbuminuria, 73 having microalbuminuria and 44 having macroabuminuria for 15 years.

The average level of vitamin D was found at 35.7 nmol/L. 

After adjustment for confounders like A1C, diabetes duration and conventional cardiovascular risk factors, diabetes mellitus patients who had severe vitamin D deficiency were found 103 percent more likely to die from all causes, compared with those having higher levels.

The researchers also found diabetes patients with severe vitamin D deficiency were 95 percent more likely to die from cardiovascular disease compared with those having higher levels.  After adjustmentfor confounders, the association remained the same.

The researchers concluded "In type 2 diabetic patients, severe vitamin D deficiency predicts increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, independent of UAER (urinary albumin excretion rate) and conventional cardiovascular risk factors."

An estimated 20 million Americans live with diabetes. The disease can lead to a series of health complications.

Previous studies have suggested Mediterranean diet, green leafy vegetables, breastfeeding, brown rice, plant-based diet, soy foods, black tea, vitamin D, L-carnitine, turmeric, selenium, bitter melon, fish oil, psyllium fiber and drinking coffee may help prevent type 2 diabetes mellitus.

David Liu