Diabetes is the fastest growing chronic condition in Australia with nearly 1.
1 million Australians currently diagnosed with diabetes, which includes:

• 120,000 people with Type 1 diabetes,
• 956,000 people with Type 2 diabetes, and
• 23,600 women with Gestational diabetes.
  

According to new research, the outcome for women with Type 2 diabetes is worse than it is for men.
A possible reason for this is due to depression which affects more than 25% of women living with diabetes.
But a new study has revealed that by high doses of vitamin D supplementation, a person's mood and depression can be resolved in those with Type 2 diabetes.
If a person living with Type 2 diabetes has depression, then this depression will impair how well they manage their blood sugar and will affect them:

• making the right food choices,
• how well they take their medications, and
• how much exercise they choose to do.
  

According to the Australian supplement Company, Ostelin, one in three Australians currently have a vitamin D deficiency.
It's been found those living in the cooler southern regions in Australia, on average, being at a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency.
The vitamin D supplementation study was carried out by Loyola University Chicago Niehoff School of Nursing, with the study being carried out on 46 women who were:

• an average age of 55 years,
• had diabetes an average of 8 years, and
• who had insufficient blood levels of vitamin D (18 ng/ml).
  

The research team administered a weekly dose of 50,000 IU of vitamin D to all the women.
The recommended dietary allowance for women 51 to 70 years old is 600 IU per day.
After a 6 month period the women's blood vitamin D levels had reached higher levels, with an average reading of 38 ng/ml plus their mood improved dramatically.
The women were given a depression survey and the scores on this survey dropped from an average of 26.
8 which indicated moderate depression was present at the beginning of the study, to 12.
2 after six months of the vitamin D supplementation - which indicated no depression was present.
This depression scale ranged from 0 to 60 in total, with the higher numbers indicating more symptoms of depression.
This study also revealed blood pressure readings were lowered and weight loss was also achieved as a result of the vitamin D supplementation in the Type 2 diabetic women.
This suggests a deficiency of vitamin D can cause more than one serious health problem fordiabetics - rectifying this issue could be the key to overall better success when managing the disease.