Today the incidence of vitamin D deficiency is very prevalent in countries and states with colder climates. Vitamin D levels are inversely associated with measures of obesity and are lower in overweight and obese populations. There have been several studies that have investigated the effect of vitamin D supplementation on weight loss, and studies combining weight loss interventions with increased vitamin D intake, either through supplementation or foods fortified with vitamin D.  The levels have also been measured before and after weight loss to see if they improve and if the changes in 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are related to the degree of weight loss. Some studies have suggested that vitamin D status is associated with weight loss success, with supplementation resulting in weight loss, or higher baseline 25-hydroxyvitamin D or greater increases in 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels associated with greater weight loss.

According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin D plays many important roles in the body. It promotes calcium absorption and is needed for bone growth and bone healing. Along with calcium, vitamin D helps protect older adults from osteoporosis. The nutrient also influences cell growth, neuromuscular and immune function, and reduces inflammation. Many gene-encoding proteins that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation and programmed cell death are modulated in part by the vitamin.

We discover that people with adequate Vitamin D in their body are less at risk from developing serious Covid illness.  But pregnant women with low vitamin D are more likely to give birth to children with autism and other health issues according to some recent studies.

Vitamin D is naturally found in some foods, such as fatty fish, and is produced within the body when skin is exposed to sunlight. According to the Institute of Medicine, just 10 minutes of sun a day is enough to trigger adequate vitamin D production in some groups.  People with darker skin pigment need at least 30 minutes of sunshine exposure directly to their skin daily. The estimated average requirement via diet or supplementation is 400 to 5000 international units per day for most adults. Those taking more than 2000 IUs daily need to have a blood test at least once a year to make sure they don’t take too much vitamin D.  Excess of vitamin D is toxic.

Vitamin D insufficiency is highest among people who are elderly, institutionalized, or hospitalized. In the United States, 60% of nursing home residents and 57% of hospitalized patients were found to be vitamin D deficient.

However, vitamin D insufficiency is not restricted to the elderly and hospitalized population; several studies have found a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among healthy, young adults. A study determined that nearly two thirds of healthy, young adults in Boston were vitamin D insufficient at the end of winter. Low vitamin D in the body mimics many diseases.

 

At Dr. Syverain Weight Loss and Skincare Clinic, we highly encourage everyone to check their vitamin D level with a blood test before embarking with vitamin D supplementation.  If in doubt of what to do or you don’t have the financial means to get a blood test, please get your daily sunshine exposure religiously with adequate consumption of fatty fish in your diet.  Adequate vitamin D in your body will help mitigate weight gain, COVID-19, other health issues and shrink your waistline happily. Contact us today for a quick visit for weight loss, blood test or counseling about the right nutrition for you or what to do with your skin care concerns.