Vitamin D Helps You Lose Weight

Vitamin D belongs to the group of fat-soluble vitamins and is produced by the skin under the influence of solar ultraviolet rays. It is also known as calciferol because it has been found that it supports the precipitation of calcium in bones and therefore it is important for the growth of the skeleton.

Vitamin D Helps You Lose Weight

The main source of vitamin D is the sunlight, which means that during the winter months when the solar rays are scarce, there is a risk of low vitamin D levels in our body. However, our winter menu consists of quite strong and nutritious food which should acquire the necessary quantities of the vitamin.

Inevitably during the winter most of us put a few pounds on top of normal weight. What can be the reason for this? Perhaps the cause is the high-calorie and strong food, which more often than not consists of steaks, meat balls, doughnuts and cakes instead of fresh salads, seafood and fruits.

In addition, the great importance of vitamin D for our body is related to the process of losing weight. Then appears the question – could winter be the reason for putting on weight because of the small amounts of sun rays and therefore the lower synthesized amount of vitamin D?

According to a study there is a close connection between the low levels of vitamin D in one’s body and obesity. Results of medical tests show that each additional ng/ml of vitamin D in the blood of a person causes the body to lose 200 g.

There are many works that focus on the relationship between vitamin D levels and whether the person is plump or slim. However, the question how this vitamin is able to “dictate” gaining weight or the loss of weight remains unexplained.

There is a specific dosage of vitamin D that should be strictly followed.

An overdosage with vitamin D can be toxic. Symptoms of toxicity include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, high blood pressure, kidney malfunction. For this reason, the National Academy of Sciences in USA has determined an upper limit for vitamin D. Your own vitamin D reserves depend mainly on how much sunlight reached the deeper levels of your skin during the last two or three months, and how much vitamin D you took by mouth during this period.

Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for Vitamin D

Age	Male	Female	Pregnancy	Lactation
0–12 months*	400 IU (10 mcg)	400 IU (10 mcg)
1–13 years	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)
14–18 years	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)
19–50 years	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)
51–70 years	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)
>70 years	800 IU (20 mcg)	800 IU (20 mcg)

Very few foods in nature contain vitamin D. The flesh of fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel) and fish liver oils are among the best sources. Small amounts of vitamin D are found in beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks. Vitamin D in these foods is primarily in the form of vitamin D₃ and its metabolite 25(OH)D₃. Some mushrooms provide vitamin D₂ in variable amounts. Mushrooms with enhanced levels of vitamin D₂ from being exposed to ultraviolet light under controlled conditions are also available.

The best sources of vitamin D are salmon, milk foods, seafood and eggs.

Selected Food Sources of Vitamin D

Food	IUs per serving*	Percent DV**
Cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon	1,360	340
Salmon (sockeye), cooked, 3 ounces	447	112
Mackerel, cooked, 3 ounces	388	97
Tuna fish, canned in water, drained, 3 ounces	154	39
Orange juice fortified with vitamin D, 1 cup (check product labels, as amount of added vitamin D varies)	137	34
Milk, nonfat, reduced fat, and whole, vitamin D-fortified, 1 cup	115–124	29–31
Yogurt, fortified with 20% of the DV for vitamin D, 6 ounces (more heavily fortified yogurts provide more of the DV)	88	22
Margarine, fortified, 1 tablespoon	60	15
Liver, beef, cooked, 3.5 ounces	49	12
Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 2 sardines	46	12
Egg, 1 large (vitamin D is found in yolk)	41	10
Ready-to-eat cereal, fortified with 10% of the DV for vitamin D, 0.75–1 cup (more heavily fortified cereals might provide more of the DV)	40	10
Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce	6	2

Source: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind

Vitamin D is a stable compound. Neither cooking nor long-term storage can significantly reduce levels of vitamin D in food.

Vitamin D Helps You Lose Weight

Vitamin D Helps You Lose Weight