Overweight Postmenopausal Women are Low in Vitamin D

Vitamin D¹ is emerging as an important metabolic nutrient, having a definite role in the health of stored fat – although that role has not yet been clearly defined.  Nevertheless, a new study using x-ray absorptiometry measurements of total body and regional fat mass in overweight postmenopausal women without osteoporosis found that fat mass significantly increased as vitamin D levels declined.

At this point scientists haven’t figured out if it is the extra fat that is somehow lowering vitamin D or low vitamin D that is setting the stage for easier weight gain.  This chicken and egg question for most people is a moot point, since just about everyone who is overweight tends to gain more weight in the winter when the risk for low vitamin D is greatest.

Supplemental vitamin D should be in the range of 1200 IU to 2000 IU for a variety of reasons for just about everyone.