According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 27 million people in the United States have Type 2 diabetes.

A recent study in the journal Cell revealed that vitamin D may slow the onset of diabetes by protecting the beta cells of the pancreas, which manufacture and release insulin, the hormone essential for controlling glucose levels in the blood. If the beta cells produce too little insulin, glucose can accumulate in the blood at levels that are toxic to cells.

Researchers at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, Calif., used a compound called iBRD9 to boost the activity of vitamin D receptors, which had a protective effect on the beta cells of mice, bringing glucose levels within a normal range.

“We know that diabetes is a disease caused by inflammation,” explained senior author Ronald Evans. “In this study, we identified the vitamin D receptor as an important modulator of both inflammation and beta cell survival.”

By adding iBRD9 to the vitamin D, scientists could supercharge genes to trigger an anti-inflammatory effect and protect the beta cells even under stressful conditions.