Vitamin D intake halts loss of muscle mass in elderly with diabetes: Study

A study was conducted by a group of researchers from Japan, to examine the relationships between the intakes of various vitamins and the loss of muscle mass in older people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

The researchers calculated the change in skeletal muscle mass index (SMI, kg/m2) (kg/m2/year) is as follows: (SMI at baseline (kg/m2) − SMI at follow-up (kg/m2))/follow-up period (year).

While the rate of SMI reduction (%) was calculated as follows (the change in SMI (kg/m2/year)/SMI at baseline (kg/m2)) × 100.

Finally, the rate of SMI reduction ≥ of 1.2% was considered as the loss of muscle mass.

The results of the study are as follows:

Among a total of 197 elderly people with type-2 diabetes (T2DM), 47.2% of them experienced the loss of muscle mass at the follow-up.

Vitamin B1, vitamin B12, and vitamin D intakes in people with the loss of muscle mass were significantly lower than those without.

Vitamin D intake was related to the loss of muscle mass after adjusting for sex, age, exercise, alcohol, smoking, body mass index, SMI, glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist, sodium glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor, insulin, HbA1c, creatinine, energy intake, and protein intake

Thus, based on the findings the researchers concluded that vitamin D intake was related to the loss of muscle mass in older people with T2DM. Vitamin B12 intake tended to be related to the loss of muscle mass, although vitamin A, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin C and vitamin E intake were not related.

The present study demonstrated that participants with experience of the loss of muscle mass had lower vitamin D intake than those without, and lower vitamin D intake was related to the loss of muscle mass even after adjusting for covariates, including energy and protein intakes.

In particular, older people with T2DM have a higher risk of the incidence of the loss of muscle mass and sarcopenia. However, adequate vitamin D intake may avoid the incidence of the loss of muscle mass.

Reference:

Vitamin Intake and Loss of Muscle Mass in Older People with Type 2 Diabetes: A Prospective Study of the KAMOGAWA-DM Cohort by Takahashi F et. al published in the Nutrients

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13072335