Type 2 diabetics are more prone to heart attacks, peripheral vascular disease and stroke. All of these can be linked to hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). Known risk factors for atherosclerosis are high cholesterol levels, obesity and high blood pressure. A recent study now demonstrates that atherosclerosis and obesity are associated with low vitamin D 25 levels in African-American type 2 diabetics. This study published in the March issue of JCEM was conducted at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. The researchers found that low vitamin D levels in diabetics are more common with increasing obesity and also with greater degrees of atherosclerosis of the aorta and carotid arteries (which supply the brain with blood).
Whether low levels of vitamin D cause any of these diseases or are simply another abnormality found in people with these illnesses has yet to be determined. Future studies are being planned in which obese type 2 diabetics are treated with vitamin D to see if these diseases can be improved.
Gary Pepper, M.D. Editor-in-Chief, Metabolism.com
I love Vitamin D! Most people don’t know, or forget, that Vitamin D (actually it is a hormone) is made in the body from CHOLESTEROL ! Vitamin D production is only one of the many important roles of cholesterol in the body. Vitamin D can also be found in some foods… egg yolks, FORTIFIED milk and other products and fish. You can have your 25-OH vitamin D levels checked, along with a host of important nutritional and metabolic markers as part of an individualized NUTRITION CONSULTATION!
Consider having an individualized consultation!
http://www.metabolism.com/beth-ellen-diluglio/
Clinical Nutritionist
Beth Ellen DiLuglio, MS, RD, CNSD, CCN, LD/N
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I take Vitamin D3 is that the same? Ive been taking it because i heard that it works to help calcium along for bone health.