Relationship between vitamin D deficiency and gestational diabetes: a narrative review

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024 Dec 19:15:1504930. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1504930. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Vitamin D, often referred to as the "sunshine vitamin," is an essential fat-soluble vitamin that plays a critical role in bone health and has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent among pregnant and pre-pregnancy women, which increases the risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a common complication during pregnancy. Recent studies have explored various aspects of the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and GDM, including the mechanisms by which vitamin D affects glucose metabolism, the role of the vitamin D receptor gene, and the impact of routine vitamin D supplementation before and during pregnancy. This paper will review the current research progress in these areas.

Keywords: correlation; dose supplementation; gestational diabetes mellitus; vitamin D deficiency; vitamin D receptor gene.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Diabetes, Gestational*
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Insulin Resistance
  • Pregnancy
  • Receptors, Calcitriol / genetics
  • Receptors, Calcitriol / metabolism
  • Vitamin D Deficiency* / complications
  • Vitamin D Deficiency* / epidemiology
  • Vitamin D* / blood
  • Vitamin D* / metabolism

Substances

  • Vitamin D
  • Receptors, Calcitriol

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. Supported by 2024 Joint Program on Health Science & Technology Innovation of Hainan Province (NO.WSJK2024MS233) and 2021 Provincial Natural High-level Talent Project (no. 821RC685), and Hainan Province Clinical Medical Center.