Abstract
Vitamin D receptors are not only limited to bones and muscles but are also present on other organs including the brain, heart, skin, ovary and testicle, prostate gland, and breast, as well as the cells of the immune system, including white blood cells and other key immune cells. As these receptors are also present on pancreas, directly or indirectly vitamin D is interlinked with Diabetes Mellitus (DM). The increase in number of diabetes patients in the world seems to be never ending. Hence, preventing it’s ascend is better than looking for various remedies. As vitamin D deficiency and Diabetes are found to be related, its deficiency may act as a trigger for the onset of Diabetes. Vitamin D, easily obtained from sunlight and diet, when given to diabetes patients may boost insulin secretion, glucose intolerance and thereby prevents diabetes associated complications. Thus it is recommended to screen persons of all age groups infants, young adults and pregnant females for vitamin D deficiency and also those who may present with risk factors, in order to hunt down DM. Additionally, vitamin D supplementation ought to be accounted for collective refinement of glucose intolerance, insulin sensitivity, insulin secretion proficiency etc, in prognosticating type 2 DM. The purpose of this paper was to review the available present day information relating to harmful effects of vitamin D deficiency that aid the development of DM and to highlight the positive effects of vitamin D supplementation on glucose impairment and insulin resistance and to potentiate the use of vitamin D supplementation in the treatment and control of DM. Even though there is corroboration that verifies the existence of a link between vitamin D status and insulin resistance, the associated mechanism appears to be hidden and requires further investigation.
