New Study Finds People with Diabetes Are Lacking Vitamin D and Magnesium Here's why
New research found that over half of people with type 2 diabetes in the Americas may be deficient in essential nutrients, including vitamin D, magnesium, and vitamin B12
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- More than half of people with type 2 diabetes in the Americas may be deficient in essential nutrients like vitamin D, magnesium, and vitamin B12, a new study found.
- Researchers explained that diet, metabolism, and certain diabetes medications can affect how the body absorbs and utilizes nutrients.
- Experts recommended addressing nutrition gaps with lifestyle changes, like eating a variety of fruits and vegetables and minimally processed foods.
People living with type 2 diabetes may have hidden vitamin deficiencies, new research published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health found.
About one in 10 Americans has diabetes. Most—about 90%—have type 2, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mounting research shows these people are at increasingly higher risk for nutrient deficiencies, especially if they live in the Americas.
Vitamins, minerals, and trace elements, including vitamin D, magnesium, and calcium, are essential micronutrients required for the body to function normally, said Gül Bahtiyar, MD, an internal medicine doctor who specializes in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at NYC Health + Hospitals and was not involved with the study.
While people can have a genetic predisposition to certain nutrient deficiencies, whether they are deficient is strongly tied to their diet, she added.
“The modern lifestyle that prioritizes convenience and speed often leads to a lack of nutrient-rich whole foods in our diets,” Bahtiyar told Health. “Processed foods are convenient and readily available, but they are typically stripped of essential micronutrients during the manufacturing process.”
A diet too high in the ultra-processed foods prevalent in the American diet can cause type 2 diabetes in the first place. Continuing to eat these foods in excess can exacerbate the condition after a person develops it, Bahtiyar said.
Lack of Vitamin D, Magnesium, and Vitamin B12
The new study, led by researchers in India, compiled data from 132 studies worldwide that documented nutrient deficiencies in more than 52,000 people with type 2 diabetes.
They found that, globally, about 60% of people with diabetes have low levels of vitamin D, while 42% and 29% have a magnesium and vitamin B12 deficiency, respectively.
About 45% of people with complications from the disease were deficient in multiple micronutrients. However, this rate was closer to 54% for people in the Americas.
At 49%, women were more likely to have micronutrient deficiency than men.
The gender-based differences weren’t particularly surprising, given that women are more prone to have low vitamin D levels specifically, Beth Czerwony, RD, a registered dietitian with the Cleveland Clinic Center for Human Nutrition, told Health.
She added that most people in the study were hospitalized when researchers collected data on their micronutrient levels, which may be why they had low measurements.
Past studies have shown that about one-third of people worldwide have at least one nutrient deficiency, but that number is much lower in the United States. In the U.S., the rate of micronutrient deficiencies depends on many factors, including age, race, and gender assigned at birth. It also varies by nutrient.
The CDC estimates the rate of nutrient deficiencies in the U.S. population ranges from less than 1% for folate, vitamin A, and vitamin E to about 10% for vitamin B6, vitamin D, and iron. Vitamin D deficiency can be as high as 31% among Black Americans (because people with darker skin have more melanin, they cannot derive as much vitamin D from sunlight).
What’s Behind the Pattern?
Multiple factors may explain the connection between type 2 diabetes and higher-than-average nutrient deficiencies, said Daya Krishan Mangal, MD, an adjunct professor at IIHMR University in Jaipur, who led the study.
What a person eats regularly, having a metabolism altered by diabetes, and the effects of certain diabetes medications can all affect how the body absorbs and utilizes nutrients, she said.
“People with diabetes may follow restrictive diets to manage their blood sugar levels, which could inadvertently lead to inadequate micronutrients,” Mangal told Health.
Metformin, a widely prescribed medication for type 2 diabetes, has been shown to interfere with the body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12. This malabsorption can have a snowball effect, exacerbating other deficiencies that someone with type 2 diabetes may already have, Bahtiyar said.
The new study found a higher prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies, especially vitamin B12, in people who took metformin. About 29% of people who had type 2 diabetes and who were taking metformin were deficient in vitamin B12.
“Vitamin B12 improves metabolism by breaking down the foods you eat more efficiently,” Czerwony told Health, adding that metformin interferes with the small intestine’s ability to utilize B12.
Having poorly managed type 2 diabetes or complications from the disease can further create micronutrient deficiencies, Bahtiyar said.
“Chronic conditions such as heart disease, neuropathy, and kidney disease can alter the body’s ability to absorb and utilize essential micronutrients,” she said.
When people are also making poor dietary choices, such as foods high in unhealthy fats, salt, and sugar and low in micronutrients, this “creates a vicious cycle and further complicates the management of type 2 diabetes,” Bahtiyar said.
Even if a person does not have other conditions besides type 2 diabetes, having poorly managed diabetes can trigger the body to get rid of micronutrients.
“When blood sugar is high, the body tries to flush out the excess glucose through the urine, and this process also flushes out magnesium, leading to even lower levels of these nutrients,” Bahtiyar said.
Should You Get Your Micronutrient Levels Tested?
Micronutrients are vital to how the body functions at a cellular level. Vitamins, minerals, and trace elements are involved in the body’s metabolism, including how the body produces and processes glucose, Bahtiyar said.
For example, calcium and vitamin D play major roles in insulin resistance and secretion. At the same time, the body requires magnesium to move blood sugar into cells and to help regulate how the body uses blood sugar, she said.
A study published in 2024 found that zinc deficiency can disrupt B cells, which play a critical role in glucose metabolism. Some studies have shown that zinc supplements can help people with type 2 diabetes manage their disease.
While routine micronutrient testing is not protocol for managing type 2 diabetes, Mangal said people may want to talk to their healthcare providers about getting screened.
“Routine screening for specific deficiencies, such as vitamin D and magnesium, could help identify and address potential gaps in nutrition,” he said.
If screening reveals a deficiency, getting extra nutrients from food over supplements is always best. However, those may be necessary if a person’s diet doesn’t include plenty of vitamin B12, vitamin D, or calcium in particular.
“My advice to my patients would be to eat a wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables and minimally processed foods,” Bahtiyar said. “Addressing micronutrient deficiency in diabetes starts with changes in lifestyle and healthy food choices. Food is medicine.”
Jani Hall
Jani Hall is a news editor for Health with a background in health, science, and investigative reporting. Previously, she wrote full time about parenting issues for the app Parent Lab. Before that, she worked as a reporter for National Geographic covering wildlife crime and exploitation.
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This story originally appeared on: Health News - Author:Kaitlin Sullivan
