Diets Supplements And Sun: How Should You Take Vitamin D
When looking into the connection between vitamin D and weight loss, researchers often use supplements in their studies, rather than tracking a subjects sun exposure or food.
Thats because pills are standardized and can be given in high doses to quickly up a study participants vitamin D level. For example, a study published in July 2018 in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine gave subjects who were overweight or had obesity 50,000 IU of vitamin D each week for six weeks. Researchers found in this small study that the subjects weight, BMI, waist circumference, and hip circumference all decreased significantly, and their vitamin D levels increased significantly, after taking this high vitamin D supplement regime. However, thats not a safe amount of vitamin D to take for weight loss in the real world.
Although scientists havent done much research on eating vitamin D-rich foods and weight loss, theyre definitely still worth consuming. What we know is that foods high in D tend to be healthy anyways salmon, mackerel, mushrooms, vitamin D-fortified milk, which are part of a healthier diet, versus processed foods so consuming these would likely help with weight loss, says Agarwal.
And while researchers dont typically track sun exposure, getting a little sun the old-fashioned way isnt a bad idea, but its important to not overdose on sun, which can up your risk of skin cancer, according to Harvard Health Publishing.
How Much Water Should I Drink To Lose Weight
Dozens of studies have already proven sipping six 8-ounce glasses of water daily helps protect against kidney stones, headaches, joint pain, and fatigue. And now, University of Utah researchers have discovered another benefit: It can increase your metabolic rate 3 percent or more, helping you effortlessly burn off seven pounds in six months. Your liver is more efficient at flushing out metabolism-slowing toxins and using fat for fuel when youre well hydrated!
Lost More Weight With 50000 Iu Weekly
Effect of vitamin D supplementation along with weight loss diet on meta-inflammation and fat mass in obese subjects with vitamin D deficiency: a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trialClin Endocrinol . 2018 Sep 24. doi: 10.1111/cen.13861. Lotfi-Dizaji L1, Mahboob S2, Aliashrafi S1, Vaghef-Mehrabany E1, Ebrahimi-Mameghani M3, Morovati A1.1 Student Research Committee, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Science, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.2 Nutritional Biochemistry, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.3 Nutrition Research Center, Faculty of Nutrition & Food Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
VitaminDWiki suggests significantly more weight loss if any of the following
BACKGROUND & AIMS:Low serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D is common in obese people. Obesity is associated with a state of low-grade inflammation . There is increasing evidence indicating that vitamin D has anti-adipogenic activity and immunoregulatory effect. This study aimed to assess the effect of vitamin D supplementation on meta-inflammation and fat mass in obese subjects with vitamin D deficiency.
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Vitamin D Deficiency And Loss Of Bone Density
As mentioned, vitamin D plays a vital role in bone health. Thus, low bone density is often related to low vitamin D levels, alongside other bone disorders, such as osteoporosis.
Low bone density can put you at risk of fractures, bone pain, and other joint issues, making it very difficult to stay physically active and lose weight.
People Most At Risk Of Vitamin D Deficiency
Although a vitamin D deficiency can affect anyone, certain groups of people may be at a greater risk.
For instance, people who have had gastric bypass surgery may have a reduced ability to absorb vitamin D from their diet, which may put them at higher risk of developing a vitamin D deficiency .
This also appears to be true for people with celiac disease, short bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease , cystic fibrosis, or chronic pancreatic insufficiency .
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 (
12 ).
A proportion of health professionals recommend that you get your blood vitamin D levels tested twice per year once in the spring and once again in the fall.
Doing so can help you evaluate your current vitamin D levels in relation to your sun exposure and tailor your vitamin D intake or supplement regimen accordingly.
SUMMARY
People with a vitamin D deficiency may experience a range of symptoms. If you suspect you may have low vitamin D levels or fall in one of the at-risk categories, consider getting a blood test to rule out a deficiency.
There are many ways to improve your vitamin D levels.
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Considering A Supplement Include A Naturopathic Physician On Your Journey
We covered five of the most common nutrient deficiencies in a weight loss journey. And its already easy to see there are a lot of different factors to consider with deficiencies and supplements. So if you do decide to supplement your diet, make sure youre taking the following steps before deciding on any products in particular:
Youre Down And Depressed
There are times in our lives when a heavy veil falls over our mind and body. This could be due to loss and/or times of uncertainty. But for many, it occurs once a year, as soon as the days become shorter and the sun loses its presence in our lives. This is known as seasonal affective disorder .
SAD is a very real condition for a lot of people. And lack of vitamin D from sun exposure is the primary culprit. It makes sense then, that low vitamin D and depression go hand-in-hand. A 2008 study, published in the Journal of Internal Medicine, shows the direct correlation between low vitamin D and depression. Participants in the study who were overweight and/or obese found significant relief from their blues after taking high doses of vitamin D over a medically supervised period of one year.
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Does Weight Affect How Much Vitamin D You Need
The amount of vitamin D your body needs may be connected to your weight.
A 2012 study found that if people with obesity were theoretically at their bodys ideal BMI, then they would be getting enough vitamin D for their body size.
In another 2012 study of women who were overweight or had obesity, those who lost weight had an increase in their vitamin D levels.
A large 2016 review echoed this finding, with researchers concluding that weight and fat loss seem to increase the vitamin D levels of people who used to have obesity.
Studies also suggest that vitamin D levels climb higher as people lose more weight. In a 2011 study, researchers found that people who lost 15 percent or more of their body weight experienced vitamin D increases 3 times greater than those who lost 5 to 10 percent of their body weight.
On the other hand, a 2014 study suggests that boosting vitamin D levels in the blood might help reduce body fat and encourage weight loss. So this may be a bit of a chicken-or-egg situation.
What Is Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency means you dont have enough vitamin D in your body. It primarily causes issues with your bones and muscles.
Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that your body uses for normal bone development and maintenance. Vitamin D also plays a role in your nervous system, musculoskeletal system and immune system.
You can get vitamin D in a variety of ways, including:
- Sun exposure on your skin .
- Through the food you eat.
- Through nutritional supplements.
Despite all these methods to get vitamin D, vitamin D deficiency is a common worldwide problem.
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Effect Of Weight Loss On Serum 25d
In a meta-analysis, the WMD in the change in serum 25D between subjects who were randomly assigned to weight loss and subjects who were randomly assigned to weight maintenance was 3.11 nmol/L and was significant . In a meta-analysis of nonrandomized trials, serum 25D significantly increased by 4.85 nmol/L in subjects in weight-loss groups compared with subjects in weight-maintenance groups. Overall, in both randomized and nonrandomized trials, the relative increase in serum 25D in the weight-loss group was also significant . No heterogeneity was detected in randomized, nonrandomized, and overall meta-analyses . There was no evidence of publication bias or small study effects .
Can You Get Vitamin D From The Sun
If you have fair skin and live in a sunny climate like Florida, it may be possible to receive all the vitamin D you need from the sun. Just 10 minutes of sunlight at midday without sunscreen while wearing shorts and a tank top can provide you with about 10,000 IUs. But since fair skin is more prone to sunburn, its important to use caution and protect yourself from skin cancer. If you plan on being outside for longer than 10 minutes, use sunscreen or cover your skin to avoid sunburn. If you have darker skin, continue taking vitamin D supplements even during the summer.
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How Much Do You Need
Its recommended that adults 1970 years old get at least 600 IU of vitamin D per day .
However, supplementing with vitamin D may not be a one size fits all approach, as some research indicates that the dosage should be based on body weight.
One study adjusted vitamin D levels for body size and calculated that 3236 IU per pound is needed to maintain adequate levels .
Depending on your body weight, this amount may be significantly higher than the established upper limit of 4,000 IU per day .
On the other hand, doses of up to 10,000 IU per day have been reported with no adverse effects .
Still, vitamin D supplements can cause toxicity when consumed in large amounts. Its best to consult your doctor before exceeding the upper limit of 4,000 IU per day .
Summary:
The current recommendation for vitamin D is at least 600 IU per day. However, some studies suggest this should be based on body size at doses of 3236 IU per pound per day.
How Does Vitamin D Boost Weight Loss
Multiple studies have linked higher body fat with low vitamin D levels.
In one study of overweight women, the women who achieved optimal vitamin D levels lost an average of 7 more pounds during the trial period compared to the trial subjects with suboptimal vitamin D levels.
Yet another study of nearly 5,000 women found that higher vitamin D levels were correlated to less weight gain between doctor visits over a period of nearly 5 years.
Interestingly, vitamin D is theorized to aid in weight loss in multiple ways:
- Vitamin D boosts testosterone, itself an important hormone for weight loss
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Can Vitamin D Help You Lose Weight
The correlation between low vitamin D and weight gain is unquestionable. But can vitamin D help you shed some weight and perhaps keep it off? If evidence from a series of recent studies is something to go by, then yes â vitamin D supplementation can indeed improve your likelihood of losing weight and decreasing body/belly fat.
In one double-blinded study involving 218 obese and overweight female participants, all of whom were on an exercise program and calorie-limited diet, 114 were given a vitamin D supplement while the rest was the control group. At the end of the 12-month study, scientists discovered that participants who met their vitamin D requirements lost more weight than those who had lower-than-required blood levels.
The findings of the above study were backed by another 2018 clinical trial whose results were published in theInternational Journal of Preventive Medicine. In this study in which similarly obese and overweight women were put on a vitamin D supplement treatment for six weeks, researchers noted a significant reduction in the BMIs, waist circumference, and overall weight.
Scientific corroboration
Together, these studies reiterated an earlier assumption about low vitamin D and weight gain. In particular, they suggest that vitamin D supplementation may, as part of a weight loss regimen combined with exercise, improve the chances of weight loss success.
The role of hormones
The advantage of lowering blood cholesterol
Get Your Vitamin D Levels Checked
The first step is to get your vitamin D levels checked by a doctor. This can be done with a simple blood test. If your levels are low, your doctor may recommend a vitamin D supplement. Getting your levels checked is important, as taking too much vitamin D can be harmful, and too low levels can be ineffective.
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Can You Have Too Much Vitamin D
Though vitamin D is critical to helping you maintain good overall health, there is such as thing as too much vitamin D. Though its extremely rare, it is possible for vitamin D to build up in the bloodstream to the point it becomes toxic and increases the risk of life-threatening health problems.
Vitamin D intoxication, also known as hypervitaminosis D, occurs when you take about 60,000 IU per day over the course of several months. Working with a doctor who can monitor your blood levels will prevent you from experiencing vitamin D intoxication.
Too-high vitamin D intake can lead to elevated blood calcium levels. Symptoms associated with high blood calcium levels include dizziness, confusion, excessive thirst, frequent urination, and digestive problems such as abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.
Vitamin D intoxication can also cause diarrhea, constipation, bone loss, and kidney failure the latter of which can lead to death when left untreated.
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Vitamin D Deficiency And Weight Gain
While research into low vitamin D and weight gain is still in its early stages, many intriguing connections have been seen.
First, being obese or overweight is in itself a risk factor for vitamin D deficiency. Research has shown that a higher body fat percentage and BMI may be linked to lower vitamin D levels in the blood. Experts have several theories for this. Some assert that overweight and obese individuals are likely to eat foods that do not contain the vitamin. Others suggest that obese people tend to stay mostly indoors and often cover most of their skin, which can limit vitamin D derivation from the sunlight.
At the same time, vitamin D deficiency can lead to weight gain in several ways:
Vitamin D deficiency and fatigue
Fatigue is one of the silent, underlying contributors to weight gain. And it is sometimes attributed to hypothyroidism, especially in middle-aged people or older, in whom the thyroid gland at times stops functioning effectively, potentially causing fatigue and weight gain.
With low levels of thyroid hormones in the blood, you will likely experience slowed metabolism and likely put on weight. Vitamin D deficiency, however, is often ignored as a potential cause of tiredness and fatigue, which can leave you without energy and motivation to work out or stick to your weight loss routine.
Vitamin D deficiency and loss of bone density
Low vitamin D and weight gain and depression
The bottom line on vitamin D and weight gain
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Whats The Link Between Vitamin D Deficiency And Obesity
Dated research from 2003 and 2004 suggests that a higher body mass index and body fat percentage are associated with lower blood levels of vitamin D.
One theory is that folks with obesity might eat fewer vitamin D-rich foods, but there isnt much research to support that link.
Other possibilities are that obesity exposes less skin to the sun and that folks with obesity spend less time outdoors but again, there doesnt seem to be any supporting research.
Your body also needs certain enzymes to convert vitamin D into its active form. And, according to a 2013 research article, levels of these enzymes tend to be lower in people with obesity. Still, we need more research to find out more about this link.
