There is so much research coming out about vitamin D these days that it seems prudent that everyone get their levels checked and supplement accordingly. Here is another reason to dose-up on the “sunshine vitamin” – it can help you lose weight, limit weight gain and improve blood sugar levels.
A study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry this month found that supplementation with vitamin D for 10 weeks limited weight gain in animals on a very high fat diet. Those supplemented with vitamin D showed an increase in lipid oxidation (fat burning) and energy expenditure (they used up more calories) which the authors say was due to a vitamin D-induced increase in the expression of genes that control metabolism.
This study suggests that vitamin D3 supplementation may represent a way to fight the onset of obesity and associated metabolic disorders, including metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Everyone should have their vitamin D3 levels checked (the test is called 25-hydroxy vitamin D) and supplement accordingly based on their test results.
