With summer just around the corner, there is plenty of reason for you to go outside and bask in the glory of the sun. For those who prefer to stay indoors, probably the fact that the glorious sunlight can make you lose weight might motivate you to step out.
Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, might not just make us feel happier, but research has shown that it actually plays a role in promoting weight loss. In this article we are going to take a scientific look at what exactly is the relationship between Vitamin D and weight.
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Vitamin D can cause fat mass reduction. In a 12 week double blind study, 77 healthy overweight and obese women were randomly divided into two groups. One group was given Vitamin D supplement for 12 weeks, and the other group was given a placebo for 12 weeks. Results showed that increasing the Calcifediol levels through Vitamin D supplements led to a decrease in body fat mass. It also showed that Vitamin D might inhibit the formation of adipocytes or fat cells.
In elderly women, lower levels of Vitamin D may predispose them to accumulate more fat. A 2012 study looked at whether obese individuals had lower levels of 25(OH)D (an active metabolite of Vitamin D), and whether low Vitamin D primes you to gain weight. This was a longitudinal study that occurred over 4.5 years with 5659 women aged 65 and older. What they found was that elderly women with lower weight had a higher amount of 25(OH)D, and those with low Vitamin D were indeed more prone to fat accumulation.
Adolescents undergoing evaluation for weight loss surgery found to be deficient in Vitamin D. The study found that more than half of the adolescents going through evaluation before weight loss surgery were deficient in Vitamin D, with 8 percent severely deficient. Lower than 20 percent of the patients had normal amounts of Vitamin D. Those with the highest BMI were more prone to be deficient. Also, the study showed that African Americans were more likely to be vitamin deficient than Caucasians who were least likely to have a deficiency.
What is the best way to boost up your Vitamin D? According to Dr. Mercola, the best way to increase your Vitamin D levels is through sun exposure, because when the skin gets exposed to sun, the skin produces Vitamin D3 sulfate. Contrary to oral supplements, the ones formed by sunlight are water soluble. This means that they can move freely in the blood stream. Unsulfated Vitamin D3 (the ones you get from oral supplements) need LDL, aka the bad fat, as a mode of transportation, which means that it is not as potent as the Vitamin D you get from the sun.
If you can't get your Vitamin D fix from the sun, you can choose to get it through diet although only a few foods contain Vitamin D. The best sources include fatty fish such as salmon or tuna, and fish oils.
Being D-deficient can prevent you from reaching your weight goal. You will not only pack on pounds but also feel consistent lethargy along with weakening of bones. So get out in the sun this summer and enjoy the nature while filling up the quota of required Vitamin D. Let the sun bless you with those fat melting vitamins that will help make you look fabulous in your bikini.
Image via Corbis
