According to the World Health Organization, a whopping 422 million people are said to be diagnosed with diabetes worldwide.¹ In the Philippines, the numbers are not looking favorable either.

Authors of a February 2024 study noted that as of 2021, an estimated 4.3 million Filipinos were diagnosed with diabetes, with an additional 2.8 million remaining undiagnosed. This disease was also the fifth leading cause of death in the country, with 48,267 individuals succumbing to the disease. This was a 21% increase compared to the previous year.²

To counter the potential complications linked to diabetes, health experts are turning to certain strategies that can alleviate its risk. One example is vitamin D which can come from:³

• Supplements
• Food sources like mushrooms, fish like salmon and sardines, chicken breast, apples, bananas, and brown rice
• Exposure of arms and legs to sunlight for 5 to 15 minutes from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm until the skin turns a light pink hue (not to the point of it becoming a sunburn)⁴

This vitamin has been linked to multiple benefits, such as helping absorb calcium from the gut, maintain strong bones, strengthen immune function and glucose metabolism, promote cell growth,³ improve heart health, and lower disease risk.⁵

Unfortunately, vitamin D deficiency remains a big threat in people’s quests to achieve optimal health. In fact, among Filipino adults aged 20 to 39 years old, 55.5% of them are vitamin D-deficient.⁶

Don’t wait until it’s too late and you end up putting your health at risk because of diabetes, vitamin D deficiency, or even both. Learn more about the promising role of vitamin D in helping prevent some of the early signs and symptoms of diabetes with this read.
 

Vitamin D’s Link to Insulin Resistance, Explained

The term “insulin resistance” is familiar as it is a known diabetes risk factor. It starts with a hormone called insulin released by the pancreas. This hormone helps regulate blood sugar levels and ensure they remain within a healthy range.

When your body’s blood sugar level rises when you eat, insulin is released into the bloodstream. The mentioned hormone then prompts glucose in your bloodstream to enter the muscle, fat, and liver. These organs will then use the glucose as an energy source.

Unfortunately, insulin resistance can happen over time when the body’s cells in the mentioned organs fail to respond and “take in” the mentioned hormone. ⁷ This prompts the pancreas to create more insulin to the point that it cannot keep up with the volume of blood sugar in the body. This can ultimately set the stage for diabetes and even heart disease.⁸

There may be a light at the end of the tunnel as findings have linked vitamin D supplementation to reduced insulin resistance. According to study authors, women of South Asian descent (all based in New Zealand) who took 100 μg (4000 IU) of vitamin D3 supplements daily for six months reported improvements in their insulin sensitivity and lower fasting glucose levels.⁹

Aside from helping curb insulin resistance, vitamin D can also play a major role in reducing the risk of symptoms of diabetes complications like:

• Diabetic neuropathy: Findings showed that people who experience painful symptoms of diabetic neuropathy or diabetes-related nerve pain have lower vitamin D levels compared to those who only struggle with painless symptoms.¹⁰
• Diabetic nephropathy:Insufficient vitamin D levels were seen in diabetics with diabetic nephropathy,¹¹ characterized by damage to blood cells and vessels within the kidneys and problems with kidney function.¹²
• Diabetic retinopathy:Researchers also discovered that people with low vitamin D levels were at risk for developing diabetic retinopathy. ¹³ This is a diabetes complication wherein high blood sugar levels damage the retina found in one’s eyes. If left unaddressed, diabetic retinopathy can cause blindness and vision loss.¹⁴

Do remember though that vitamin D supplementation isn’t a “guarantee” that you will be risk-free from diabetes. Taking these supplements should always be done together with proper diet and exercise to ensure you reap all the benefits that this vitamin may offer. For more information on how to lower your risk for diabetes, consult your doctor.
 

Take Note: Daily Vitamin D Requirements for Adults

Per initial research, children and adults may need 200 to 600 IU of vitamin D3 daily to maintain ideal levels of this vitamin, most especially on days when they lack sun exposure.¹⁵

Unfortunately, although vitamin D has been linked to various health benefits, many people still happen to be deficient in this vitamin.

Examples of some of the many groups with a high risk for this health issue include people who are either overweight or obese, people with metabolic conditions like type 1 and 2 diabetes, people diagnosed with malabsorption syndromes like inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, and cystic fibrosis; and cancer patients, to name a few.¹⁶
 

What Are the Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency?

Unfortunately, not paying attention to vitamin D levels can lead to negative impacts on one’s health. According to renowned vitamin D experts Michael Holick and Tai C. Chen, vitamin D deficiencies can lead to symptoms and complications:¹⁷

Boost Your Daily Health With the Help of This Supplement

If you plan on taking vitamin D supplements, get your levels checked and consult your doctor first. Remember that vitamin D doses should be based on a person’s age, body weight, sunlight exposure, dietary habits, and lifestyle.¹⁶

But if you need a helping hand in making sure you meet and maintain ideal vitamin D levels in your body, ask about a supplement like Cholecalciferol (Pharex® D-Vit800).

It contains 800 IU of cholecalciferol, more known as vitamin D3. Together with proper diet and exercise, this supplement may also assist in preventing vitamin D3 deficiency by ensuring you get enough of this vitamin each day.

Suggested use of Cholecalciferol (Pharex® D-Vit 800) is one (1) capsule orally, once a day, or as recommended by a doctor. It is ideally taken alongside meals, but it can also be taken on its own.

Cholecalciferol (Pharex® D-Vit 800) is available online in Shopee and Lazada and in leading drugstores nationwide at a suggested retail price (SRP) of Php 6.50 per capsule.

If symptoms persist, consult your doctor.