Advances in vitamin D and microvascular complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Increasing evidence suggests that vitamin D deficiency may play an important role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). T2DM manifests as a result of insulin resistance, increased hepatic glucose production and β-cell failure.Vitamin D metabolites are thought to play an important role in increasing insulin sensitivity and facilitating insulin exocytosis which is mediated both by direct mechanism through the availability of vitamin D receptors in several tissues and indirect mechanism through the changes in calcium levels. Vitamin D has also been shown to decrease inflammatory cytokines which plays an important role in insulin resistance and β-cell apoptosis.Several studies have confirmed that vitamin D is closely related to the long-term complications of diabetes. Low levels of vitamin D can exacerbate diabetic peripheral neuropathy, nephropathy, and retinopathy. Although diabetic patients with vitamin D deficiency is widespread, the existence of vitamin D deficiency and diabetes complications is still controversial, this article will review the relationship between vitamin D and the microvascular complications of T2DM. Key words: Vitamin D; Diabetes mellitus, type 2; Diabetic angiopathies; Review