Original research
Effect of a vitamin and mineral supplementation on glycemic status: Results from a community-based program

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcte.2017.11.002Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • Vitamin D and a multivitamin supplement in a natural experiment is described.

  • Both vitamin D and the multivitamin were associated with a greater chance of regression to normoglycemia.

  • Higher vitamin D levels were associated with better outcomes.

  • This simple, inexpensive intervention may have implications for prevention of diabetes.

Abstract

Aims

Diet is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus. As cofactors necessary for enzyme function of all metabolic pathways, vitamins and minerals have the potential to improve glucose metabolism. We investigated the effects of a nutrient intervention program on glycemic status.

Methods

We used a form of natural experiment to compare Pure North program participants (n = 1018) that received vitamin D alone (Vital 1) or vitamin D in combination with other nutrients (Vital 2) during two different time periods. Changes in 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], high-sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and glycemic status were characterized over one and two years.

Results

Serum 25(OH)D concentrations increased significantly in both Vital 1 (to 111  ±  49 nmol/L) and Vital 2 (to 119  ±  52 nmol/L) over one year. HbA1c and hs-CRP were significantly reduced over time in Vital 2. Higher 25(OH)D levels after one year were associated with larger decreases in HbA1c and hs-CRP in Vital 2. At one year, 8% of Vital 2 and 16% of Vital 1 participants progressed from normoglycemia to prediabetes/diabetes, whereas 44% of Vital 2 and 8% of Vital prediabetes/diabetes subjects regressed to normoglycemia.

Conclusions

Vitamin D combined with other nutrients was associated with a reduced risk of progression to diabetes and with an increased rate of reversion to normoglycemia in high risk participants. The results suggest that nutrient supplementation regimes may provide a safe, economical and effective means for lowering diabetes risk. Further examination of this potential via randomized controlled trials is warranted.

Keywords

Prediabetes
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Vitamin D
Nutritional supplements
Multivitamin
Normoglycemia

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1

Present address: Department of Economics, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5A3, Canada.