Taking a Daily Vitamin to Prevent Type 1 Diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder characterized by genetic susceptibility associated with a growing number of loci, including major histocompatibility complex (MHC), which provides a strong influence (1). While the number of susceptibility genes and loci is numerous, an even larger list of environmental agents has long been noted to influence, in either a positive or negative fashion, the risk for or progression to type 1 diabetes (2). Unfortunately, studies examining genetic and environmental influences on type 1 diabetes are remarkably complex in terms of study design, performance, and data analysis. Large study populations are also required for identifying minor influences of genetic loci or environmental agents, yet these efforts often result in the identification of candidates with relatively small odds ratios (i.e., a small influence on disease risk). In addition, type 1 diabetes is quite heterogeneous in its presentation, form, and characteristics when examined from either a metabolic or an immunologic perspective. It is also probable that some degree of complexity arises from geographical clusters wherein specific gene-environment interactions for a particular region yield different answers to the question of what causes type 1 diabetes (3).

What is evident is that an increase in type 1 diabetes is occurring globally, yet, as previously emphasized, many hypotheses exist as to the cause for this observation (4). Of those thought to be environmental in nature, vitamins have gained particular attention of late, the most notable perhaps being vitamin D. This is …