Summary
This study, conducted by the Austrian universities of Graz, Vienna, and Salzburg, investigated the suppressive effect of specific regulatory immune cells in young patients with new-onset type 1 diabetes. 30 young patients were assigned to receive vitamin D3 (70 IU/kg body weight/day) or a placebo for 12 months. The immune cells (Tregs), which are involved in the defense system and aim to modulate the immune system, were determined, and related functional tests were assessed. The study results showed that the capacity of these cells significantly increased with vitamin D3 supplementation. The researchers concluded that vitamin D could improve the function of these immune cells in patients with type 1 diabetes. Thus, vitamin D could serve as a possible agent in developing therapies against this disease. More details can be found in the study.
References
Treiber et al.