Vitamin D preserves Beta cells in LADA

[foxl]

I accessed thet entire article in Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews ... but we have a subscription. This was in the June 9 2009 issue.


Research Article
Protective effects of 1--hydroxyvitamin D3 on residual -cell function in patients with adult-onset latent autoimmune diabetes (LADA)
Xia Li 1, Lan Liao 1 2, Xiang Yan 1, Gan Huang 1, Jian Lin 1, Minxiang Lei 2, Xiangbing Wang 3, Zhiguang Zhou 1 *
1Diabetes Center, Institute of Metabolism and Endocrinology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
2Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
3Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, RWJUH-UMDNJ, New Brunswick, USA

email: Zhiguang Zhou (zhouzg@hotmail.com)

*Correspondence to Zhiguang Zhou, Diabetes Center, Institute of Metabolism and Endocrinology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.

Xia Li and Lan Liao contributed equally to this work.

Funded by:
National Natural Science Foundation of China; Grant Number: 30600298
Hunan Natural Science Foundation; Grant Number: 06JJ20086, 08JJ4007
National 973; Grant Number: 2006CB503901

Keywords
latent autoimmune diabetes in adults • vitamin D • -cell function • insulin • intervention


Abstract

Background
Previous in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that vitamin D could prevent pancreatic -cell destruction and reduce the incidence of autoimmune diabetes. In children with type 1 diabetes, vitamin D treatment produces moderate protective effects on residual -cell function and has proven to be safe. Therefore, we hypothesized that vitamin D might have protective effects on -cell function in patients with latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA), a form of slowly progressive autoimmune type 1 diabetes.

Conclusion
Our data suggest that 1-alpha(OH)D3 plus insulin therapy can preserve pancreatic -cell function in patients with LADA. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Received: 22 October 2008; Revised: 27 March 2009; Accepted: 23 April 2009
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1002/dmrr.977 About DOI


Article Text

[rak1978]

This is so interesting! Thanks for posting it. My mom came across an article last week (may have been the same one) about this. She was very enthusiastic in thinking she had found a "cure" for me. I kind of brushed it off. I feel bad now, but there are so many "cures" out there. ;) This definitely warrants further research! :)

Thanks again!

[foxl]

This is so interesting! Thanks for posting it. My mom came across an article last week (may have been the same one) about this. She was very enthusiastic in thinking she had found a "cure" for me. I kind of brushed it off. I feel bad now, but there are so many "cures" out there. ;) This definitely warrants further research! :)

Thanks again!


I am taking mine ... Niacin is also supposed to help but I need to find the info on it before I resume taking it ... but this is true, there are so many "cures" out there!

[rak1978]

Sorry if I missed it...what dosage are they recommending on the vitamin D?
Thanks!

[foxl]

Sorry if I missed it...what dosage are they recommending on the vitamin D?
Thanks!

The dose is not listed here but in the body of the article they listed microgram amounts and I do not remember how to convert.

[MCS]

Make sure you take the newer D3, and not the D2, D3 is made by UV radiation and is far more potent then D2.

I am currently taking 6000 IU a day. It is also good to quit for a week or so then resume. D3 is fat soluble and does not leave the body as quickly as water soluble supplements.

[foxl]

Found this review article, in PubMed, searchign on LADA (but not on Vit D). I may be onto something ...

Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2009 Jun 29;25(5):417-419. [Epub ahead of print]
Vitamin D in diabetes mellitus-a new field of knowledge poised for D-velopment.Alfonso B, Liao E, Busta A, Poretsky L.
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10003, USA.

This commentary reviews the current state of knowledge regarding the role of vitamin D in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus. In type 1 diabetes mellitus or in adult onset latent autoimmune diabetes (LADA), vitamin D exhibits immunomodulatory actions, influencing the activity of lymphocytes and interleukins. In type 2 diabetes mellitus vitamin D appears to act through different mechanisms, affecting insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity through its effects on the beta cells, mediators of inflammation and parathyroid hormone. Much work remains to be done in this new field of knowledge before the role of vitamin D in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus is completely understood. Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID: 19565622 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Protective effects of 1-alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3 on residual beta-cell function in patients with adult-onset latent autoimmune diabetes (LADA). Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2009 Jun 1; 25(5):411-416. Epub 2009 Jun 1.
[Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2009]
ReviewRole of vitamin D in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2008 Mar; 10(3):185-97.
[Diabetes Obes Metab. 2008]
ReviewVitamin D and diabetes mellitus. Endocrine. 2009 Feb; 35(1):11-7. Epub 2008 Nov 1.
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ReviewVitamin D and type 1 diabetes mellitus: state of the art. Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2005 Aug; 16(6):261-6.
[Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2005]
ReviewLatent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) should be less latent. Diabetologia. 2005 Nov; 48(11):2206-12. Epub 2005 Sep 29.
[Diabetologia. 2005]
» See reviews... | » See all...

[rak1978]

Very interesting!

[ddenise]

I have come across Vit D by way of following Dr Faustman's approach to reversing diabetes using the TB vaccine (Dr. Faustman on Diabetes Cure Trial - David & Elizabeth Edelman (http://www.diabetesdaily.com/edelman/2008/09/diabetes-cure.php))

She claims that a substance called TNF-alpha is the key to her solution. She gives a vaccine that causes your body to produce TNF-alpha. Her lab is currently in phase I clinical trials but it is going well.

Interested in what I can do to increase my TNF-alpha now(I was tested with GAD antibody level of 3 not long ago and my endo told me that I would be diabetic), I began looking into it, searching the internet for dietary or vitamin options. What comes up often is vitamin D. (do a google search for "induces tnf alpha vitamin). The main article is: Vitamin D-induced up-regulation of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in p (http://www.ionchannels.org/showabstract.php?pmid=15904673&redirect=yes&terms=vitamin%20induces%20tnf%20alpha). This is not a diabetes article but given the tnf-alpha connection, I thought it was interesting.

I also found an article that showed taking 1g of vit C and 400IU vit E together increases TNF alpha production, I can't remember if it was a certain part of the body or not.

[Gary_W]

Thanks for posting this.

Seems to be lots of info on vitamin D and the big D we all have lately. There was a study in the UK (Oxford I believe) a year or two back that was linking the higher rate of vascular damage in folks with diabetes with lack of vitamin D. Apparantly we don't hang onto it so well. Do forgive my glossing over the details. And, indeed, everything else. But it seems that vit D is getting a thumbs up from lots of different directions at present.

Gary

[Subby]

Might be important to keep making clear what features of the body it helps - and/or "type" of diabetics included in studies (another way to indicate body state in certain ways). The studies Linda mentions seem to suggested preventative, rather than curative properties. For the sake of understanding this, I think the findings and issues should be kept clear.

Gary, I'm actually wondering if that study was on type 1s or type 1.5s or type 2s or a mix. Is it that the vit D is preserving beta function in type 2 and 1.5 - thus leading to better control - thus helping the vascular situation? That's great - but it's also good to know who it does and doesn't apply to.

I'm really happy for vit D to be a great tool in diabetes/protecting/preventing beta cell loss. And any other positive effects. I hope it's the case. The idea of "curing" might be a little dangerous/the wrong track, though - and I'm wondering if in the case of a depleted type 1, vit D might do pretty much bugger all.

[BlueSky]

Vitamin D also slashes the risk of cancer and heart disease. To see info about work done at UCSD, go to GrassrootsHealth | Vitamin D Action (http://www.grassrootshealth.net/). A reduced need for insulin is reported by T1s taking Vitamin D, but it is not clear whether this is the result of improved insulin sensitivity or a restoration of beta cell function. Apparently, Vitamin D supplementation reduces the incidence of T1 by 80% and it prolongs beta cell life in T1.5s. So it seems that the autoimmune attack on the beta cells is weakened.

I have started supplementing with 2,000 IU a day, which should be enough to raise my vitamin D status into the 40-60 ng/ml range. I will let you know if my insulin needs drop. Either way, I will continue to take Vitamin D because of all the other benefits.

[Subby]

I've actually been taking D3 4,000 IU for a few months, since while I get a lot of semi and indirect sun, I don't actually know what my levels are, and I also tend to feel strange when in direct sun - maybe I have issues dealing with or absorbing sunlight, is a very loose thought in the back of my mind.

Anyway, no change in insulin use, stability, or anything insulin of BG related over that time. I'm not naysaying, just passing on my finding so far.

For the cancer and other benefits, I consider it a cheap addition to the other supplements I take.

[MCS]

I posted a thread not to long ago in connection to this very thought. Has anyone seen a normalization of thier BS when exposed to long periods of sunlight. I in deed see a lowering effect. I have been able to eat things while on the beach that I normally wouldn't be able to eat. I believe it has to do with V-D production in your body.

What I don't know is it a precussor of V-D that is responsible, I tried taking large quanities of V-D3 and eating a football sized Russet Baked Potatoe. This would have usually sent me into the 300's. I never got past 200 and it took 4 hrs to get there. Essentially the V-D3 slowed it down but did not prevent the spike entirely

[foxl]

I think the reason some of the studies are done in LADA patients is that the slow process makes it a better situation for studying autoimmune diseases. I suspect results of prevention in particular would apply to all autoimmune D though.

I am on vacation and doing field and road trips right now, looking forward to getting back to work (ahem! errrrrrrh) where I can research more! :o

But I have to say despite Vit D being the nutrient of the month, it does look promising and important!

[ant hill]

This is interesting that the vitamin D is still a valid talking point here. I am taking a supplement that contains Chromium & Cinnamon and achieve good fasting levels along with the knowledge of what DAFNE told me and enjoying great BG's with much less spikes. :D

[foxl]

Well Peter, my articles are prevention related -- I have not yet found anything on slowing or lowering BGs but if I do will post articles here, too.

[Vicki NC]

I'm taking 5400 iu of Vit D daily, and feel much more energetic than I did 2 months ago. Whether it's the D or not, I can't prove, but I sure am doing better--that includes my COPD, as well as Diabetes.

The 5400 comes from a combo of one D-3 gel cap @ 5000 iu, and a 400 dose from a multi vitamin I take.