Why is my vitamin D still so low?
- Your vitamin D supplement or your diet does not have enough vitamins K1 and K2. ...
- There’s not enough Calcium in your diet or supplements. ...
- There’s not enough Magnesium in your diet or supplements. ...
- You are still taking vitamin D2. ...
What does vitamin D deficiency do to our body?
- Nausea and vomiting
- Poor appetite and weight loss
- Constipation
- Weakness
- Confusion and disorientation
- Heart rhythm problems
- Kidney stones and kidney damage
Can vitamin D prevent obesity?
Vitamin D deficiency is not related to reduced sun exposure in obese woman. Vitamin D serum concentrations seasonally changes. Low plasma 25 (OH)D level (less than 50 nmol/L) was related to higher BMI and waist circumference. VD supplementation has no effect on obesity-related complication nor on body weight reduction.
Are you really vitamin D deficient?
You can become deficient in vitamin D for different reasons: You don't get enough exposure to sunlight. Your liver or kidneys cannot convert vitamin D to its active form in the body. Who is at risk of vitamin D deficiency? Some people are at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency: Breastfed infants, because human milk is a poor source of vitamin D.
Does vitamin D Help obesity?
In short, increasing your vitamin D intake may promote weight loss, although more research is needed before strong conclusions can be reached. Summary: Getting adequate amounts of vitamin D may enhance weight loss, decrease body fat and limit weight gain.
What deficiency can cause obesity?
Vitamin D deficiency is the cause of common obesity.
Does low vitamin D affect weight loss?
The authors, including McTiernan, discovered an association between vitamin D and greater weight loss. “We found that those women who received vitamin D and whose blood levels got up to normal lost more weight than women whose blood levels remained low,” says McTiernan.
What happens when vitamin D is too low?
Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a loss of bone density, which can contribute to osteoporosis and fractures (broken bones). Severe vitamin D deficiency can also lead to other diseases. In children, it can cause rickets. Rickets is a rare disease that causes the bones to become soft and bend.
What are signs of low vitamin D?
Severe lack of vitamin D in children causes rickets. Symptoms of rickets include: Incorrect growth patterns due to bowed or bent bones. Muscle weakness....Signs and symptoms might include:Fatigue.Bone pain.Muscle weakness, muscle aches or muscle cramps.Mood changes, like depression.
Does vitamin D help reduce belly fat?
In addition to reducing belly fat, taking vitamin D for weight loss has important implications in musculoskeletal health. A 2017 study found that combining vitamin D with aerobic exercise and resistance training can result in more calorie loss than exercise alone.
Should I exercise if I have vitamin D deficiency?
Exercise and a wholesome diet are two important rungs on your journey to addressing vitamin D deficiency. According to studies, exercising two to three hours per week boosts the levels of Vitamin D in the body.
Does vitamin D affect metabolism?
Low serum vitamin D has been found to be associated with various types of metabolic illness such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance, cardiovascular diseases including hypertension. Various studies reported that vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency in linked with metabolic syndrome risk.
Can obesity cause B12 deficiency?
Several studies have suggested that vitamin B12 deficiency is more common in obese individuals, such as obese children and adolescents (9), obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (10), and obese pregnant women (11–13).
What supplements should an obese person take?
Supplements for Weight LossChitosan.Chromium Picolinate.Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)Glucomannan.Green Tea Extract.Green Coffee Extract.Guar Gum.Hoodia.More items...•
Is obesity a nutritional deficiency disease?
Despite excessive dietary consumption, obese individuals have high rates of micronutrient deficiencies. Deficiencies of specific vitamins and minerals that play important roles in glucose metabolism and insulin signaling pathways may contribute to the development of diabetes in the obese population.
What are the possible causes of obesity?
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute offers more information on the causes of overweight and obesity.Food and Activity. People gain weight when they eat more calories than they burn through activity. ... Environment. ... Genetics. ... Health Conditions and Medications. ... Stress, Emotional Factors, and Poor Sleep.
Why do people with overweight or obesity often have lower vitamin D levels?
Currently, most researchers believe that the lower vitamin D levels observed in people with overweight or obesity may be explained by other factors.
Why do older people have a low vitamin D level?
Older individuals, as well as those who have darker skin tones or spend little time outdoors, may likewise have an increased risk of deficiency due to a reduced ability to produce sufficient vitamin D from sun exposure alone ( 1 ).
How much vitamin D should I take to lose weight?
Similarly, a recent review of 11 weight loss studies suggested that supplementing with 25,000–600,000 IU (625–15,000 mcg) of vitamin D monthly for 1–12 months may reduce BMI and waist circumference in those with overweight or obesity.
How to avoid vitamin D toxicity?
The best way to avoid vitamin D toxicity is getting your blood vitamin D levels checked before and during supplementation, as well as working with your healthcare provider to adjust the dosage accordingly. You can improve your vitamin D levels through a combination of sun exposure, diet, and supplementation.
How much weight did the vitamin D group lose?
By the end of the study, women in the vitamin D group lost 5.9 pounds (2.7 kg) of fat, compared with around 1.1 pounds (0.5 kg) for those in the placebo group. The women in the vitamin D group also gained 3.1 pounds (1.4 kg) more muscle than those in the placebo group.
How to increase vitamin D levels?
You can improve your vitamin D levels through a combination of sun exposure, diet, and supplementation. Regularly monitoring your blood vitamin D levels can help you tailor your supplement regimen and reduce your risk of vitamin D toxicity.
How much vitamin D should I take a day?
The reference daily intake (RDI) for vitamin D is currently set at 600 IU (15 mcg) per day for adults, and 800 IU (20 mcg) per day for people who are pregnant ( 16 ). However, some experts argue that these recommendations are far too low to maintain optimal vitamin D levels ( 17. Trusted Source.
Where is the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology located?
1 Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Centre Rijeka, School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia.
Is vitamin D deficiency a health problem?
Obesity is defined as an excess amount of body fat and represents a significant health problem worldwide. High prevalence of vitamin D (VD) deficiency in obese subjects is a well-documented finding, most probably due to volumetric dilution into the greater volumes of fat, serum, liver, and muscle, even though other mechanisms could not completely be excluded, as they may contribute concurrently. Low VD could not yet be excluded as a cause of obesity, due to its still incompletely explored effects through VD receptors found in adipose tissue (AT). VD deficiency in obese people does not seem to have consequences for bone tissue, but may affect other organs, even though studies have shown inconsistent results and VD supplementation has not yet been clearly shown to benefit the dysmetabolic state. Hence, more studies are needed to determine the actual role of VD deficiency in development of those disorders. Thus, targeting lifestyle through healthy diet and exercise should be the first treatment option that will affect both obesity-related dysmetabolic state and vitamin D deficiency, killing two birds with one stone. However, VD supplementation remains a treatment option in individuals with residual VD deficiency after weight loss.
Is obesity a health problem?
Obesity is defined as an excess amount of body fat and represents a significant health problem worldwide. High prevalence of vitamin D (VD) deficiency in obese subjects is a well-documented finding, most probably due to volumetric dilution into the greater volumes of fat, serum, liver, and muscle, even though other mechanisms could not completely ...
Does VD affect bone?
VD deficiency in obese people does not seem to have consequences for bone tissue, but may affect other organs, even though studies have shown inconsistent results and VD supplementation has not yet been clearly shown to benefit the dysmetabolic state.
Why Vitamin D is Important?
Often called the “sunshine vitamin,” vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that serves as a hormone in the body. 2 Not only is vitamin D key for strong, healthy bones, almost every other tissue in the body has vitamin D receptors, and it’s vital to the health and function of the pancreas, immune system, skin, thyroid, colon, etc.
How to combat vitamin D?
The best way to combat the vitamin d and obesity link is via sunlight exposure (with bare skin exposed), which accounts for upwards of 90% of the vitamin D circulating in your body. Spending just 15 minutes 2 to 3 times per week (between the hours of 11:00 am and 3:00 pm from May through October with 40% of the skin exposed) appears to be adequate.
What are the health problems associated with vitamin D deficiency?
3 This isn’t good as there’s a laundry list of health concerns associated with inadequate levels of vitamin D, including weight gain, poor immune function, decreased muscle strength, poor metabolic function, mood-related issues, poor heart health, cognitive decline, getting sick more often, declining bone health, and more— including increased risk of death from all causes. And certain populations are at a greater risk of deficiency, including older adults, dark-skinned individuals, and those who have limited sun exposure. 4
How much vitamin D should I take daily?
The Daily Reference Intake (DRI) for vitamin D is 600 IU per day for adults. Yet, a more accurate assessment of vitamin D status comes from blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, 25 (OH)D. To prevent a deficiency, according to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), 25 (OH)D levels should be above 20. Yet, others indicate higher levels. For example, the Endocrine Society has concluded that, “Based on all the evidence, at a minimum, we recommend vitamin D levels of 30 ng/mL, and… to guarantee sufficiency, we recommend between 40 and 60 ng/mL for both children and adults.” 11 This indicates there is some controversy regarding how much you may need as levels that are too high are concerning as well.
Does vitamin D cause belly fat?
In addition to the link between vitamin D and obesity, the researchers also discovered that folks with lower levels of vitamin D are also likely to have larger waistlines and higher amounts of belly fat, especially in women. 10 In men, the lower vitamin D levels were associated with fat in the liver as well as the belly.
Is vitamin D bad for you?
The Link Between Vitamin D and Obesity. A number of studies have found a link between suboptimal levels of vitamin D and an increased risk of obes ity as well as an increased risk for complications related to obesity. 1 Other research indicates the vitamin D bioavailability has been decreased in people who are obese as the vitamin is locked ...
Does vitamin D help with hair loss?
Vitamin D has long been known for its bone strength benefits, and research also indicates it helps protect the heart, support healthy blood sugar and immunity, and even prevent hair loss. Now we see there is also a clear connection between vitamin D and obesity.
How does vitamin D affect metabolism?
These findings indicate that vitamin D deficiency can affect metabolic health by disrupting the normal balance between growth and fat accumulation. Instead of influencing growth, the energy is used in creating fat and lipids, and this occurrence cannot be easily reversed, the authors noted.
What are the health problems that can be caused by a lack of vitamin D?
For example, vitamin D is essential for maintaining healthy bones and teeth as well as to keep your immune system strong. Low levels of vitamin D have been associated with numerous health problems including diabetes, pain in your muscles and bones, high blood pressure, multiple sclerosis, and even some types of cancer. Now, a new study has revealed that deficiency of this nutrient can lead to obesity.
What are the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency?
But, some of the effects of vitamin D deficiency include muscle weakness, joint pain, fatigue, low energy, more frequent illness, hair loss, and anxiety.
Why is vitamin D important?
For example, vitamin D is essential for maintaining healthy bones and teeth as well as to keep your immune system strong. Low levels of vitamin D have been associated with numerous health problems including diabetes, pain in your muscles and bones, high blood pressure, multiple sclerosis, and even some types of cancer.
Does vitamin D help with fat storage?
It was found that vitamin D helps the body to channel energy into growth versus into fat storage . But when this nutrient is deficient, the energy that should be going toward growth is getting shunted into creating fat and lipids, thus leading to obesity.
Does vitamin D deficiency cause fat accumulation?
The study, which has been published in the journal Scientific Reports, suggested that Vitamin D deficiency could disrupt the metabolic balance between fat accumulation and growth. Vitamin D deficiency was also found to be associated with higher triglyceride and cholesterol levels, which is a sign of metabolic imbalance that can lead to cardio-metabolic disease.
Do zebrafish have more fat?
The zebrafish deficient in vitamin D were found to be smaller in size compared to the other groups but had significantly more fat reserves. Then the researchers kept the zebrafish deficient in vitamin D on a vitamin D enriched diet for another six months, to see if the initial results could be reversed or not.
How does vitamin D help with energy?
Taking supplements may help improve energy levels. 3. Bone and back pain. Vitamin D helps maintain bone health in a number of ways. For one, it improves your body’s absorption of calcium. Bone pain and lower back pain may be signs of inadequate vitamin D levels in the blood.
What is alopecia areata?
Trusted Source. ). Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease characterized by severe hair loss from the head and other parts of the body. It’s associated with rickets, which is a disease that causes soft bones in children due to vitamin D deficiency ( 33.
What are the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency?
Vitamin D plays important roles in immune function. One of the most common symptoms of a deficiency is an increased risk of illness or infections. 2. Fatigue and tiredness. Feeling tired can have many causes, and vitamin D deficiency may be one of them.
How to check vitamin D levels?
They can check your vitamin D levels with a blood test .
How many people have low vitamin D levels?
Vitamin D deficiency is very common. It’s estimated that about 1 billion people worldwide have low blood levels of the vitamin ( 4 ).
Why is vitamin D important?
One of vitamin D’s most important roles is keeping your immune system strong so you’re able to fight off viruses and bacteria that cause illness. ). If you often become sick, especially with colds or the flu, low levels of vitamin D may be a contributing factor.
Why does my lower back hurt?
Bone pain and lower back pain may be signs of inadequate vitamin D levels in the blood.
How does shivering work?
Electromyographic analyses of shivering in humans have identified two shivering patterns: low intensity shivering uses type I, (slow-twitch, fatigue-resistant) fibres fuelled by oxidation of lipids and is continuous, whilst high intensity shivering occurs in bursts and uses type II, (fast-twitch, glycolytic, fatiguable) fibres [35]. In extremely low temperatures, survival may depend upon the intensity of shivering, whilst in prolonged exposure to cold, shivering endurance may be more important. Fibre specification of skeletal muscle shows plasticity and can be altered by exercise [36]. It is therefore reasonable to assume that fibre specification can be altered to enhance shivering capacity. Differences in fibre type specification have been observed in obesity and the metabolic syndrome. For example, type I fibre percentage is inversely correlated with obesity, hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors [37], [38], [39]. Furthermore, microarray analysis of skeletal muscle gene expression by Ptitsyn et al. revealed an increase in the expression of genes for proteins involved in glycolytic rather than oxidative metabolism and upregulation of myoglobin associated with the metabolic syndrome [40]. Shivering is fuelled by the oxidation of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins supplied by the circulation or from intramuscular reserves [41]. In very low ambient temperatures survival might depend on additional fuel being available for shivering and it is possible that the elevated lipidaemia, glycaemia, and intramuscular triglycerides observed in the metabolic syndrome provide supplementary fuel reserves. Kern et al. showed that glucose transport into type II fibres is relatively independent of insulin when compared to type I fibres [42]. If there is an insulin-independent mechanism for glucose transport into type II fibres, insulin resistance may allow specific delivery of increased amounts of glucose from the circulation to the skeletal muscle without affecting other tissues. Thus insulin resistance may play a role in the adaptive fuelling of skeletal muscle for shivering. Intramuscular triglyceride (IMTG) concentration is elevated in conditions associated with insulin resistance, whilst exercise and shivering are associated with insulin sensitivity and lower IMTG [17]. The beneficial effect of exercise on insulin sensitivity has led some to postulate that human ancestors were more physically active; however, in cold environments the demands on skeletal muscle for shivering take priority over those for voluntary activity. Cold exposure has a beneficial effect on glucose homeostasis in diabetes which is similar to the effects of exercise and can be attributed to shivering [43]. Shivering studies in humans have been conducted on healthy volunteers and show no evidence of non-shivering thermogenesis [44], but the possibility remains that non-shivering mechanisms become significant in the winter-adapted state.
How does the body maintain its temperature?
Whilst an increase in body size reduces the heat conductance from the body to the environment, other strategies can be utilised to maintain core body temperature, including increasing the thickness of the insulating layer, decreasing thermal conductivity from the body core to the body surface by circulatory adjustments, and increasing endogenous heat production by altering metabolism [27]. With scarce hair, cold resistance in humans is mostly dependent upon circulatory adjustments and endothermy. It is possible that the metabolic disturbances observed in association with common obesity may serve to enhance survival in winter climates. Such adjustments have been observed in those birds and mammals which remain active in winter at moderate and high latitudes. In birds, for example, the ability to sustain higher levels of thermogenesis by shivering is increased by metabolic adjustments, including an increase in triglyceride [28]; and in the red-backed vole there is an increase in the production of muscle myoglobin during autumn along with an increase in metabolic capacity [27]. Alterations in metabolism and physiology observed as the metabolic syndrome are insulin resistance; increased arterial blood pressure; elevated circulating concentrations of glucose and triaclyglycerols, lowered circulating concentrations of high density lipoprotein cholesterol; and increased intramuscular triglyceride [29]. Additional abnormalities have been observed, including endothelial dysfunction, pro coagulant state, non-alcoholic steatosis, vascular inflammation and microalbuminuria [30]. The principle changes can be measured clinically and have been identified as risk factors for diabetes, stroke and cardiovascular disease. There is ambiguity regarding the diagnostic criteria for the metabolic syndrome [31], and the interaction between the various abnormalities is not understood, but it appears that insulin resistance has a key role [32]. Insulin resistance refers to its effects on carbohydrate metabolism, specifically the uptake of glucose into skeletal muscle and adipocytes, and suppression of hepatic gluconeogenesis [33].
What are the responses to cold stress?
Changes in the circulation to restrict skin blood flow are well known responses to cold stress [45]. Vasoconstriction and vasodilation are mediated by the endothelium, and hypertension can result from increased peripheral vascular resistance. Endothelial dysfunction has been associated with insulin resistance and may underlie the elevated blood pressure observed in association with common obesity [46]. The role of endothelial function and blood viscosity in cold-induced vasoconstriction has not been investigated in humans; nevertheless, it is conceivable that the vascular abnormalities noted in the metabolic syndrome, including hypertension, endothelial dysfunction and increased blood viscosity, contribute to an enhanced capacity for cold-induced circulatory responses which improve resistance to low ambient temperatures.
Is vitamin D deficiency a secular trend?
Vitamin D deficiency has the potential to explain both the secular trends in the prevalence of obesity and the individual variation in its severity. Calcidiol assays were first developed in the 1970s and whilst numerous studies of different populations show that circulating calcidiol concentrations are low [66], [80], [81] there are no secular data available. On examination of the factors that determine vitamin D status, however, it can be inferred that vitamin D status has fallen during the period in which common obesity has risen. Common obesity is closely associated with the urban-industrial environment [82]. In this environment, the two determinants of vitamin D, i.e. exposure of the skin to UV-B radiation and dietary vitamin D, are reduced. With regard to the first determinant, UV-B irradiance in urban areas is reduced by several factors. Cities often develop in low altitude, sheltered regions and some urban construction is underground. Incident solar UV-B radiation is absorbed and scattered by buildings and concrete ground cover in the built environment. Emissions from industry and transport alter the atmospheric composition and pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone (SO 2, NO 2 and O 3) absorb in the UV-B spectrum, while black carbon and PM 10 can also reduce UV-B irradiance [83], [84]. The interiors of buildings are designed to reproduce infra-red radiation (heat) and visible radiation (light), but not ultraviolet radiation. In particular, large public buildings such as hospitals, office buildings and factories allow little, if any, penetration of UV radiation. Urbanisation is essentially a trend towards a sheltered, UV-deprived habitat. At a personal level, clothing acts as an effective sunscreen [85] and standard styles of outdoor clothing cover an extensive proportion of the body surface. The most significant cause of vitamin D deficiency in urban developments may be the reduction in time that individuals spend exposed to sunlight, as work and leisure activities are mostly conducted indoors. With regard to the second determinant of Vitamin D status, dietary trends associated with the urban-industrial environment have reduced the quantity of vitamin D obtained from the diet. These include a reduction in the consumption of fish and sea mammals, animal fat, eggs, and dairy fat. In addition, food production methods such as indoor housing of layer hens and increased milk yield per cow may have contributed to lower vitamin D intake. Milk and dairy fat intake have been inversely associated with obesity and with the metabolic syndrome [86], [87]. The decrease in total milk consumption [88], replacement of whole milk with reduced-fat milks and phasing out of school milk after the 1970s may have contributed to a critical fall in dietary vitamin D intake in the past three decades.
Does vitamin D affect metabolic syndrome?
The model described herein predicts that obese individuals have lower calcidiol levels than individuals of normal weight, and that there is a correlation between calcidiol levels and parameters of the metabolic syndrome. Accordingly, an increase in vitamin D intake or synthesis in overweight and obese individuals should prevent further weight gain, induce weight loss and prevent or reverse the abnormalities of the metabolic syndrome. There is a body of evidence for an inverse relationship between vitamin D status and both common obesity and the metabolic syndrome. A recent meta-analysis found that observational human studies show a significant inverse association between serum calcidiol concentration and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes; an inverse association between serum calcidiol concentration and the metabolic syndrome; and independent associations between low calcidiol and abdominal obesity and hyperglycaemia [68]. This study also found that in case-control studies, patients with type 2 diabetes have lower serum calcidiol compared to controls. Several studies have documented vitamin D deficiency in morbidly obese patients both before and after bariatric surgery [69], [70], [71]. In a study of healthy women, an inverse relationship was found between serum calcidiol and percentage body fat [72]. Low vitamin D status in obesity has generally been regarded as a consequence of obesity and further research is required to establish the causative relationship between vitamin D status and obesity. Population studies in which a single assay of serum calcidiol is related to BMI may have limited value for several reasons. Firstly, the lag between serum calcidiol and BMI needs to be determined. Serum calcidiol has a half-life of several weeks and a single assay can provide information on the summation of vitamin D intake and synthesis in the previous weeks. Season is a significant determinant of serum calcidiol, and its concentration may be higher in an obese individual taken at the end of summer than one taken in winter from a lean individual, for example. Longitudinal studies are required to determine the lag between changes in calcidiol and changes in body-weight. Secondly, a consensus is emerging that both the laboratory reference range of calcidiol and the recommended vitamin D intakes are too low, the latter by as much as a magnitude [73], [74], [75], [76]. The laboratory reference range for serum calcidiol is 25–125 nmol/l (10–40 ng/ml) and deficiency is poorly defined [66]. In sun-rich environments, circulating calcidiol ranges from 135 to 225 nmol/l and since studies report calcidiol levels which are significantly lower, it has been suggested that most of the human population, including those on whom the reference ranges were based, are vitamin D deficient [66], [77]. It may therefore prove difficult to encounter individuals in urban-industrial societies with healthy levels of calcidiol to use as control subjects. The method used by Giovannucci et al. to examine the effect of vitamin D status on cancer incidence and mortality in a large population study, in which an estimate of the main factors which determine vitamin D status was used to compute predicted calcidiol concentrations, may be an appropriate alternative to the laboratory measurement of calcidiol in studies relating vitamin D status to obesity [78]. Thirdly, a significant determinant of body-weight is voluntary control. It is clear that achievement of the body-weight set-point requires free access to a calorie intake sufficient to allow weight gain. A considerable proportion of the population exercise voluntary control over diet and exercise with the intention of either losing weight or improving health. Individuals with a history of voluntary weight control may have a body-weight below their set-point, or alternatively, a higher BMI due to adaptive responses which restrict energy expenditure and promote fat storage in response to restricted food intake.
Is vitamin D deficiency associated with obesity?
Common obesity and vitamin D deficiency have each been associated with a range of diseases. An understanding of the concomitance of these two factors may help to unravel some of the ambiguities and inconsistencies observed in the associations between body-weight and disease. The diseases that have a strong association with obesity, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, may be caused by the interaction of the winter-adapted physiology with the summer microclimatic environment. Other conditions associated with obesity, such as early-onset puberty, may also result from the winter response. In addition, it is possible that, whilst a fall in circulating calcidiol is responsible for obesity, paradoxically weight gain may protect against deficiency of calcitriol by protecting reserves of cholecalciferol, as described above. There is evidence that vitamin D deficiency is involved in a multitude of diseases, including osteomalacia, rickets, lung disease, cancers, multiple sclerosis, and infectious disease [64], [65], [66]. These appear to result from a classical nutrient deficiency state, in which loss of the normal hormonal function of calcitriol leads to disease. For individuals with minimal adipose tissue, regular vitamin D intake or synthesis becomes essential and they may be at higher risk of diseases associated with loss of active calcitriol because they lack cholecalciferol reserves. This can at least partly explain the seemingly paradoxical benefits of higher body-weight in some conditions, such as osteoporosis and bone fractures which is associated with low BMI [67]. Deficiency in calcidiol sufficient to induce the winter response may not lead to calcitriol deficiency until cholecalciferol reserves are depleted. It may be helpful to distinguish calcidiol deficiency from calcitriol deficiency when relating vitamin D status to disease.
Does vitamin D help with weight loss?
If the model described here in is correct, successful and healthy weight loss should require an increase in vitamin D status. Once an optimal concentration of circulating calcidiol is reached, 25-hydroxylation is reduced and cholecalciferol is deposited in the tissues [60]. This cholecalciferol depot is vital for utilisation during periods of UV-deprivation, or when there is an additional demand for vitamin D, for example during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Since adipose tissue is one of the major sites for cholecalciferol depots, the accumulation of fat mass in common obesity increases the storage capacity for vitamin D. Highly motivated attempts to lose weight achieve little success and, although weight loss is associated with reduced risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in the short term, several studies have found an association between intentional weight loss and increased mortality in the long term [63]. Most nutritional approaches to obesity and the metabolic syndrome involve a reduction in dietary fat which, since vitamin D is a steroid, inevitably reduces vitamin D intake and may lower the body-weight set-point still further. This can explain the failure of weight loss programs to achieve long term success without continuous intervention. The release of cholecalciferol from the depots in adipose tissue into the circulation may contribute to the improvements in health when weight is lost initially, but could be deleterious in the long term by reducing the capacity to store cholecalciferol. Furthermore, if the set-point remains elevated but is not attained either by voluntary control or lack of food availability, it is possible that a state of energy accrual persists and that lean tissue is broken down to generate energy for storage. This can explain the deleterious effects of repeated efforts to restrict diet, known as weight cycling.
What is the role of vitamin D in the body?
Vitamin D helps in calcium absorption in the gut and helps maintain calcium and phosphate concentrations levels to keep bones strong and prevent calcium depletion. It can also aid in cell growth, neuromuscular and immune function, and reduction of inflammation.
What are the health problems that obesity causes?
Obesity, a condition that affects more than one-third of Americans according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, can cause a host of health problems including increased risk for coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and stroke.
Does low vitamin D affect obesity?
5 in PLOS Medicine showed that obesity caused vitamin D deficiencies, while having a low vitamin D level only had a slight affect on obesity risk. Previous studies had linked the two conditions, but this was the first study to look at whether obesity influenced vitamin D levels or vice versa.
