Diabetes affects 347 million people worldwide, with type 2 diabetes making up 90% of those cases. Fortunately, research has found type 2 diabetes is often preventable by maintaining a healthy diet and exercising. And now, a study published in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Endocrinology may have uncovered another way to help lower diabetes risk, finding that a daily multivitamin plus omega-3 fatty acids was associated with better blood sugar control in people at risk for prediabetes and diabetes.

The study included data from 1,018 non-diabetic people, ages 25 to 54, participating in two different stages of a community wellness programme sponsored by the Pure North S’Energy Foundation. Those participating in the first stage (from 2008 to 2010) received individually determined amounts of vitamin D₃, between 1,000 and 20,000 IU per day, to achieve target blood levels; those participating in the second stage (from 2010 to 2012) received the same individually determined amounts of vitamin D₃ plus a multivitamin and 600 mg of omega-3 fatty acids (400 mg of EPA and 200 mg of DHA). When researchers examined participants’ serum vitamin D levels and markers of blood sugar control after the first year of each of the two stages of the programme, they found:

• Higher serum vitamin D levels were associated with better markers of blood sugar control in those in the second (full supplement) stage of the programme.
• While 16% of those in the first (vitamin D₃ only) stage of the programme developed prediabetes or diabetes, only 8% of those in the full supplement stage of the programme developed these conditions.
• Abnormal markers of blood sugar control were more likely to improve in those in the full supplement stage compared with those in the vitamin D₃ only stage of the programme.

This suggests vitamin D₃ combined with omega-3 fatty acids and a multivitamin may help regulate blood sugar levels and could reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. However, a direct link can’t be drawn between these supplements and a reduced diabetes risk based on these findings. More clinical trials are needed to verify the possible benefits of a supplement programme for diabetes prevention. If you are at risk of diabetes, check with your doctor to see if adding supplements to your diabetes-prevention programme makes sense for you.

Source: Journal of Clinical and Translational Endocrinology