Vitamin D may protect against diabetes

Some research suggests that vitamin D may help protect against cancer and a new study finds it may protect against diabetes as well.

Exposure to the sun’s rays triggers vitamin D synthesis in the skin, so people who live in sunny parts of the world tend to have high levels of vitamin D.

Among the many health benefits of vitamin D is improved immune system function, so doctors wondered if higher sun exposure could help protect against immune system disease, such as type 1 diabetes.

Researchers from the University of California at San Diego studied the relationship between countries’ proximity to the equator and their rate of type 1 diabetes.

They found that countries which didn’t receive a lot of sun, such as Canada, Norway and Sweden, had higher rates of the disease than sunny countries such as Cuba, Barbados, and the Dominican Republic.

The relationship isn’t perfect, however. Poland had a lower rate of type 1 diabetes than the much sunnier Puerto Rico.

Other factors such as genetics and lifestyle probably play a role.

Doctors say it’s too soon to know if sun exposure can affect an individual’s risk for diabetes, but that vitamin D is important for healthy bones, kidneys, and immune system regulation.

They recommend people get 10 to 15 minutes per day of sun to maintain adequate levels of this important vitamin.