The review of clinical trials found that higher vitamin D intake via supplementation – the preferred method of vitamin D intake is natural sunlight exposure, by the way – is associated with a 15 percent decrease in the likelihood of Type-2 diabetes in adults with prediabetes.

Published on February 7, the study is based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of three clinical trials comparing vitamin D levels to diabetes risk. Among those studied, 22.7 percent of prediabetic adults who received vitamin D went on after three years to develop diabetes – this compared to 25 percent of those who received a placebo.

This translates to a 15 percent relative reduction in diabetes risk for those who take vitamin D or go out in the sun more. The more than 374 million adults worldwide who suffer from prediabetes can thus better protect themselves simply by intaking more of this powerful, health-promoting pre-hormone.

Optimizing your vitamin D levels is a key component of vibrant health

It is important to remember that high-dose vitamin D supplementation comes with risks if done incorrectly. Certain co-factors such as vitamin K and magnesium help the body to better synthesize vitamin D at therapeutic doses, which is an important consideration in this context.

Since vitamin D is known to encourage the pancreas to make more insulin, it obviously makes sense for prediabetic and diabetic people to make sure that their levels are optimal – this can be done with the help of a qualified medical professional.