Assessment of Vitamin D in Children With Type 1 Diabetes

Vitamin D is so-called "sunshine vitamin",it is synthesized in the skin during exposure to the ultraviolet rays in sunlight so it has been suggested that ∼ 5-30 minutes of sun exposure between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. at least twice per week on the skin of the face, arms, back, or legs (without sunscreen) is usually adequate for vitamin D synthesis. Vitamin D is also found in plants (mainly mushrooms and yeast) and in a few foods such as fatty fish.

Vitamin D supplement is recommended in all infants until enough formula, milk, or other food sources are ingested to sufficiently provide 400 IU/day to prevent vitamin D deficiency. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, and the self immune system plays a central role in the destruction of the beta cell of pancrease.