Vitamin D Status Linked to Dieting Success

An interesting new study finds that a person’s vitamin D¹ status entering a diet predicts the likelihood of success. 

“Vitamin D deficiency is associated with obesity, but it is not clear if inadequate vitamin D causes obesity or the other way around,” said the study’s lead author, Shalamar Sibley, MD, MPH, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota.
The research showed that vitamin D levels directly predicted the likelihood of weight loss.  For every point of higher vitamin D an extra ¼ pound was lost during an 11 week diet. 

“Our results suggest the possibility that the addition of vitamin D to a reduced-calorie diet will lead to better weight loss,” Sibley said.

Exactly what vitamin D is doing within white adipose tissue is not yet fully understood – but it is pretty clear it is in some way helping with weight loss efforts.  It may be a good idea for any person trying to lose weight to take 2,000 IU of vitamin D per day as part of their plan.