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# Vitamin D cuts risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/vitamin_d_type_2_diabetes_mellitus_0429121229/
- Published: 2012-04-29T01:27:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:01:20.000Z
- Description: In a Diabetes Care study of 2,039 people at high risk, those in the highest tertile of 25-hydroxyvitamin D were 28 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes over 2.7 years than those in the lowest, after adjusting for the lifestyle interventions being tested.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Vitamins, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

By David Liu, PHD

Sunday April 29\. 2012 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study published online Feb 8, 2012 on the website of Diabetes Care suggests that taking vitamin D supplements may help reduce risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The study led by Anastassios G. Pittas, MD, MS of Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts and colleagues showed that men and women whose levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin d were in the highest tertile were 28 percent less likely to develop diabetes type 2 during a 2.7-year follow-up, compared to those whose vitamin d levels were in the lowest tertile.

The study included 1,022 participants who were assigned to use a combined placebo and 1,017 other participants who were assigned to engage in an intensive lifestyle intervention.

The researchers also found that in the placebo group, those whose vitamin d levels were in the highest tertile were 30 percent less likely to develop diabetes, compared to those in the lowest tertile.

Of participants in the lifestyle intervention program, those whose vitamin d levels were in the highest tertile were 20 percent less likely to be diagnosed with diabetes.

They concluded "Higher plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D, assessed repeatedly, was associated with lower risk of incident diabetes in high-risk patients, after adjusting for lifestyle interventions (dietary changes, increased physical activity, and weight loss) known to decrease diabetes risk."

Vitamin D supplements help vitamin d deficiency, which has been linked to hundreds of health conditions including heart disease, diabetes, cancer and mental illness among others. 

Food consumers may want to be picky when it comes to what vitamin d supplements they want to buy and use. Many supplements come with lots of fillers of which many can be harmful to their health.