During the winter months, when the body is not making as much vitamin D from sunlight as it would during the summer, the Government and NHS recommends supplements to boost the immune system.
Vitamin D is used by the body to keep the bones, teeth, and muscles up to strength.
A lack of vitamin D can cause health issues such as rickets in children, or a painful bone condition called osteomalacia that affects adults.
However, some research suggests that vitamin D could reduce a person’s risk of developing both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
As mentioned, cases of type 1 and type 2 diabetes are on the rise.
Predictions by the charity Diabetes UK suggest that over five million people in the UK could have a form of diabetes by 2030.
As a result, it is important to know what people can do to reduce their risk of developing the condition.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that those who had taken vitamin D supplements were 12 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
READ MORE: Diabetes: The yellow drink that causes a ‘signficant’ drop in blood sugar in minutes
Although this wasn’t significantly different to those who weren’t taking the supplement, it shows vitamin D could have an impact on a person’s likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.
Furthermore, another study, this time on children, discovered that children with high levels of vitamin D had a lower likelihood, specifically 41 percent, of developing islet autoimmunity.
The reason why this is important is because one of the signs of type 1 diabetes is islet autoimmunity.
Although these studies show that vitamin D could have an impact on a person’s likelihood of developing diabetes, more research is needed before a direct link can be established.
DON’T MISS
With regard to type 2 diabetes there are a number of risk factors.
The biggest of these is a person’s weight; if they are overweight or obese, this will increase their risk.
Other risk factors, according to the NHS, include:
• If you’re 40 or over (25 for south Asian people)
• Have a close relative with diabetes
• Are overweight or obese
• Are of Asian, African-Caribbean or black African origin.