RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia as a result of insulin resistance and decreased insulin secretion. A relatively large number of patients with this type of diabetes have abdominal obesity, which also affects insulin resistance development. Chronic hyperglycemia can lead to damage and dysfunction of various organs, and a striking example is diabetic nephropathy. Diabetic nephropathy is a specific kind of kidney damage that occurs due to complications of diabetes and is accompanied by the formation of diffuse or nodular glomerulosclerosis, which can lead to terminal renal failure and requires immediate substitution through renal therapy or renal transplantation. Diabetic nephropathy is diagnosed with albuminuria and a decrease in the rate of glomerular filtration. METHODS: This review was based on a literature search for the most important evidence of vitamin D as a possible method of prevention for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and diabetic nephropathy. Collected published articles were summarized according to their overall themes. RESULTS: In this review, we considered vitamin D as a possible method of treatment for type 2 diabetes, as well as its complications, including diabetic nephropathy. CONCLUSION: Studies show that vitamin D inhibits the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, resulting in improved renal function in diabetic nephropathy. Vitamin D also has antiinflammatory, antiproliferative, and anti-metastatic effects, which improve endothelial function.