Vitamin D Linked to More Effective Weight Loss
According to a recent study just published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a diet that is rich in vitamin D may be linked with achieving more effective weight loss results.
This is in conjunction with a brace of related health benefits that can be enjoyed when this vitamin is present in the correct amounts in most people.
Two Year Long Study
The study was taken over a two year period and involved 300 overweight people in the 40 to 60 age bracket.
They were split into three groups who were placed on different types of diet. The three diets were made up of a Mediterranean diet, a low fat diet and a low carb diet with the interesting additional aspect in that they all featured vitamin D rich foods.
The study's results were predictable in that the participants of each diet type lost weight in a healthy way, although it was noted that those who ate the foods that were most vitamin D enriched lost the most weight.
According to the study's author, Danit Shahar,
"It was known that overweight people had lower levels of serum vitamin D, but this is the first study that actually shows that serum vitamin D increased among people who lost weight."
She added that these findings,
"lasted throughout the two years that the study was conducted, regardless of whether they were on a low-carbohydrate, low-fat or Mediterranean diet."
Increased Health Benefits
There are many health benefits to ensuring you get plenty of vitamin D in your diet as well as absorbing plenty of sunshine which causes the body to make its own. These include increased bone health, where high levels of the vitamin help to prevent cases of low bone mass and bone density loss, while reducing the chances of contracting osteoporosis.
It also helps to prevent inflammation, which is a leading problem associated with several conditions such as arthritis, joint pain, high blood pressure and imbalances in blood sugar levels and even digestive problems.
Worrying statistics show that a staggering 9 out of every 10 Americans is actually deficient in vitamin D. This can so easily be treated by taking a good supplement of the vitamin as these are perfectly safe and widely available in stores as well as online from trusted vendors such as Amazon.
It can also be manufactured by the body when exposed to natural sunlight. While many poeple fear getting too much sun exposure and burning leading to an increased risk of skin cancer, there is much evidence to suggest that moderate sun exposure on a daily basis is beneficial.
The use of sunscreen and sun block creams and lotions also blocks the sun's UVB rays (which trigger the body to manufacture of vitamin D) from being absorbed by the skin. These creams are of course necessary when long exposure times are expected, but are largely unnecessary for short exposure times of 15-30 minutes in the morning or late afternoon when the sun is not at its hottest.
If in any doubt, please consult your doctor.
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Posted on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 in News | 1 Comments
1 thoughts on "Vitamin D Linked to More Effective Weight Loss"
Waldie says:
Thank you for the info on how vitamin D helps with losing weight. I have been aware of this for some time as it always seems that the folks that spend more time outdoors and being active seem to be the slimmest and it must have more to do with just exercise. Sunlight is important to all of us. That is very important.