Some epidemiological studies have shown that two chronic conditions, heart disease and type 2 diabetes, are more common in people with low levels of vitamin D.
Now scientists have uncovered some important clues to explain this connection. The researchers used special mice that can’t utilize vitamin D normally to reduce inflammation.
These animals churned out too much glucose, became resistant to insulin and developed atherosclerotic plaques in their arteries. In these animals, the immune cells deprived of vitamin D started transporting fat. The artery walls and the liver became chronically inflamed.
Will Supplementation Work in People?
The next step will be to test people with risk factors for metabolic disorders to see whether vitamin D supplementation will be able to reduce their chance of developing disease.
