Let the Sun Shine In

As many of you have recently seen, vitamin D seems to be making a star appearance in the diabetes world. The reason your endocrinologist is now ordering lab tests to measure vitamin D and recommending that you take it is probably a result of this study published in Diabetes Educator. The study states things such as "persons with diabetes are at significant risk for vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency. Reasons for this include diet, lack of sun exposure, obesity, renal impairment, and genetic predisposition." It claims that added vitamin D may reduce complications associated with diabetes such as cardiovascular disease. Also, it states that having adequate intake of vitamin D daily may delay the onset of diabetes. What is adequate, you ask? It has not been determined.  Do you all remember the blood sugar lowering capabilities of cinnamon? Sound familiar?

If you think I sound skeptical, I am. I was surprised when my endo started recommending that I take 1000mg of vitamin D daily and then followed up to make sure I was taking it. I was also surprised that she ordered labs to confirm.  The explanation for this unexpected inclusion into my daily routine was brief. There was this study. You should take vitamin D. It's good for you. You probably don't get enough sun.  What? We had never discussed my sun exposure while determining basal rates.

While I respect and trust my endocrinologist and appreciate that she is keeping current with science, I just don't think that vitamin D is really going to decrease the likelihood of complications or delay the onset of diabetes for those of you that don't have it. If I have an A1C of 13.1% and take vitamin D daily, will I decrease the chances of kidney failure? probably not. I don't mean to sound all pessimistic. I'm not saying that's its a BAD thing to take some extra Vitamin D with breakfast.  I like a more realistic approach, such as this.  I just think that this is a simple solution for such a complicated disease.

For the record: I'm taking vitamin D daily and I top off my oatmeal with cinnamon each morning.