Takeaway
- In patients with prediabetes and hypovitaminosis D, high-dose vitamin D3 supplementation improves insulin sensitivity and reduces diabetes progression rate.
Why this matters
- Preventive efforts in patients with prediabetes may be effective in preventing or delaying the onset of diabetes.
Study design
- Double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised clinical study of 162 patients with prediabetes and vitamin D deficiency, randomly assigned to either high-dose vitamin D3 (50,000 IU weekly) or placebo.
- Primary outcome: insulin resistance (measured by Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance [HOMA-IR] index).
- Progression was measured as upgradation from impaired fasting glucose to impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and from IGT to diabetes.
- Funding: None disclosed.
Key results
- At 6 months, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were significantly higher in patients who received vitamin D3 vs placebo (36 vs 16 ng/mL; P<.001).
- Fasting plasma glucose (P=.15) and 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test plasma glucose (P=.06) were not significantly different between the 2 groups.
- Vitamin D3 group showed significantly lower HOMA-IR score (2.6 vs 3.1; P=.04) and fasting serum insulin levels (10 vs 12 μU/mL; P=.05).
- The rate of progression towards diabetes was significantly lower in vitamin D3 group (3% vs 28%; P=.002).
Limitations
- High lost to follow-up.
- Short follow-up duration.
References
References
