Modern diets usually do not provide adequate amounts of Vitamin D3, partly because of the trend to low fat foods and partly because we no longer eat Vitamin D3 rich foods
Often we are advised to consume the egg white, but the yolk is rich in Vitamin D3; or we eat the flesh of the fish avoiding the Vitamin D3 rich skin, organs and fat
Sun avoidance combined with reduction in food sources contribute to escalating Vitamin D3 deficiencies
Vegetarian diets are exceptionally poor or completely lacking in Vitamin D3
Overweight individuals are especially at risk for Vitamin D3 deficiency
Excess body fat absorbs and holds on to Vitamin D3, making it unavailable to the body
The absence of Vitamin D3 creates interference with the functioning of a hormone called leptin, which signals to the brain that you are full and should stop eating
Replenishing Vitamin D3 in the bloodstream to normal levels restores leptin’s actions
Getting enough Vitamin D3, namely 1,000 IU a day can be a challenge from diet sources alone
Supplementation is often needed. Multivitamins typically provide 400 IU
For every increase of 1ng/mL in level of 5-hydroxycholecalciferol, (the precursor form of Vitamin D3 and a commonly used indicator of Vitamin D3 status), subjects ended up losing almost a half pound more on their calorie-restricted diet
For each 1ng/mL increase in the active or “hormonal” form of Vitamin D3, subjects lost nearly one quarter pound more
Additionally, higher baseline Vitamin D3 levels predicted greater loss of abdominal fat
Addition of Vitamin D3 to a reduced-calorie diet will lead to better weight loss
Research also shows weight normalization is associated with higher levels of Vitamin D3