Can Lack Of Vitamin D Make You Gain Weight? What Experts Are Saying About The Connection

It’s easy to incorporate Vitamin D into your life — whether it’s spending time in the sunshine, taking a supplement or eating foods, such as fish, dairy products and some cereals. But there’s one important question — can a lack of Vitamin D cause weight gain? 

According to Healthline.com, people who are overweight or obese appear to have low Vitamin D levels, compared with people who have normal body mass index (BMI).

In one study, women were given 1,000 IU (25 mcg) of Vitamin D or a placebo every day for 12 weeks. When the experiment was finished, women in the Vitamin D group lost 5.9 pounds, compared to the women in the placebo group, who lost around 1.1 pounds. 

The women in the Vitamin D group also gained 3.1 pounds of muscle — more muscle than those in the placebo group. Overall, though, there were no significant changes in waist circumference or total body weight.

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Another study suggested that taking 25,000-600,000 IU (625-15,000 mcg) of Vitamin D every month for 1-2 months may reduce BMI and waist circumference for those who are overweight or obese. 

Despite these studies, research suggests that taking a lot of Vitamin D does not make you gain or lose weight. 

So, why are people with lower Vitamin D levels heavier than those who consume higher amounts of the supplement? 

“Since Vitamin D is stored in fatty tissues, people with large amounts of body fat may need greater amounts of Vitamin D to maintain blood levels similar to those of people of lower body weights,” the outlet notes. 

Additionally, people who are obese or overweight may not get outdoors as much, and they may eat food that contains less Vitamin D. 

Experts also believe that people who are overweight may need 1.5 times more Vitamin D than people who have normal BMIs. 

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If you're feeling like you have a Vitamin D deficiency, then just pop the supplement once or day or expose your skin to at least 20 minutes of midday sun. 

Maikai Nutrition’s Vitamin D3 is “ideal for building and maintaining healthy bones” and is also “associated with increased cognition and immune health.” 

“Vitamin D is used for conditions of the heart and blood vessels, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol,” the website reads. “It is also used for diabetes, obesity, muscle weakness, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, bronchitis, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and tooth and gum disease.”

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