Calcium and vitamin D, whether from food or supplements, may help lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a research review. A number of studies have found links between type 2 diabetes risk and calcium, vitamin D and dairy food intake.
When the results are combined, the new review found people with the highest intakes of vitamin D and calcium had an 18 percent lower risk of diabetes than those with the lowest intakes.
Both nutrients may be important in the functioning of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Insulin is a hormone that helps move sugar from the blood into the body's cells to be used for energy; type 2 diabetes develops when the body becomes resistant to insulin, allowing blood sugar levels to soar.