Vitamin D deficiency can lead to obesity, and there are 6 major risks you can’t avoid! Pharmacist Zhao Shunrong: Obese people need high doses of vitamin D

Vitamin D is known as the "sunshine vitamin" in the vitamin world. It is not only an important nutrient for maintaining normal and healthy human body, but also a "health hormone" with multiple physiological effects. In addition to its role in calcium metabolism and maintaining strong, healthy bones, vitamin D plays a key role in everything from maintaining a healthy immune and nervous system to preventing certain chronic diseases, especially obesity, to improving mental health.

Why is Vitamin D so important?

Vitamin D is essential to maintaining good health! Pharmacist Zhao Shunrong, chairman of the Taiwan Preventive Health Association and a master of pharmacy, pointed out that more and more studies have found that in addition to many long-term unexplained pains, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, esophageal cancer, oral cancer, pancreatic cancer, etc., which may be related to vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency, vitamin D deficiency can also affect the reproductive ability of men and women, and is closely related to obesity and difficulty in losing weight. This obviously means that the human body needs enough vitamin D to maintain a healthy state.

What is not well known is that obese people need twice as much vitamin D as other people! Yes, it's true.

Why do obese people need more vitamin D?

Pharmacist Zhao Shunrong said that vitamin D is stored in the body's fat tissue, and obese people tend to have lower vitamin D levels because higher body fat levels cause vitamin D to be retained in excessive fat tissue, thereby reducing serum vitamin D levels. Volume dilution in body tissues is another cause of vitamin D deficiency, which is why overweight people need to consume more vitamin D.

Pharmacist Zhao Shunrong explained that vitamin D deficiency may be one of the main reasons for weight gain. Obese people are more likely to be deficient in vitamin D because the fat cells in the body prevent vitamin D from being released into the blood, leading to weight gain. A study published at the European Society of Endocrinology Annual Meeting pointed out that abdominal fat is related to lower levels of vitamin D in the body.

Vitamin D deficiency may be one of the main reasons for weight gain. Obese people are more likely to be deficient in vitamin D because the fat cells present in the body prevent vitamin D from being released into the blood, leading to weight gain.

One of the causes of obesity may be impaired sensitivity of vitamin D receptors

A randomized controlled trial published in JAMA (The American Journal of Medicine) in January 2023 examined whether body mass index (BMI) changes vitamin D metabolism and response to supplementation. The findings suggest that BMI may be associated with an altered response to vitamin D supplementation and may partially explain the effects of vitamin D supplementation on various positive health outcomes observed in individuals with higher BMI.

Obesity-related pathophysiological factors do not rule out problems such as impaired vitamin D receptor sensitivity, and further mechanistic research is needed. Therefore, the effective dose to achieve optimal circulating and bioactive concentrations for cancer and diabetes prevention or other benefits may be higher in patients with excessive obesity, and nutritional dynamics will further clarify this.

Can increasing vitamin D intake help you lose weight?

So, can increasing your vitamin D intake help you lose weight? Pharmacist Zhao Shunrong said that since vitamin D deficiency is associated with weight gain, increasing daily vitamin D intake can help lose weight. Increasing your dietary intake of vitamin D could improve your chances of losing weight, according to a study published in the International Journal of Obesity.

The only way to determine if you are deficient in vitamin D is through a blood test, with a normal value being above 30 ng/mL (nanograms per milliliter). However, there are some signs and symptoms to watch out for, including being prone to depression, being overweight or obese, bone pain, frequent headaches, and frequent gastrointestinal disorders.

The fat cells present in obese people prevent the release of vitamin D into the blood, leading to weight gain.

6 major risks of vitamin D deficiency

The following are some of the health problems that may be caused by vitamin D deficiency:

1. Obesity: The fat cells present in the body of obese people prevent the release of vitamin D into the blood, thus leading to weight gain.

2. Fatigue: Persistent fatigue and drowsiness are the primary indicators of vitamin D deficiency.

3. Infection: Vitamin D deficiency can lead to various infections, including respiratory infections. Infections can often be the result of low levels of vitamin D in the body, as it is essential for a strong immune system.

4. Anxiety: Anxiety and depression caused by stress are also the result of vitamin D deficiency.

5. Musculoskeletal pain: Vitamin D is important for bone development, so muscle and bone pain may indicate insufficient vitamin D levels in the body.

6. Liver and kidney disease: Kidney and liver complications are also related to low levels of vitamin D in the blood.

According to health expert Mumbai-based bariatric surgeon Dr Aparna Govil Bhasker, controlling and managing weight through a healthy diet and lifestyle must be the first step in controlling obesity and vitamin D deficiency. As the prevalence of both obesity and vitamin D deficiency increases alarmingly around the world, a growing body of research suggests that vitamin D supplementation in obese people with a BMI over 30 does not correct vitamin D deficiency as effectively as in people with a BMI below 25. BMI is a measurement that infers overall obesity or body fat, while waist circumference measurements infer the amount of visceral fat a person may have in their abdomen.

If your BMI is high, you are more susceptible to cardiovascular metabolic risk factors. Pharmacist Zhao Shunrong compiled a number of international clinical reports to show that vitamin D supplementation can indeed reduce the risk of disease. He reminded and recommended appropriate vitamin D supplementation to reduce the chance of disease risk, and that correct vitamin D supplementation will be safe regardless of different populations.

Pharmacist Zhao Shunrong finally reminded that lower vitamin D levels in obese people is a consistent finding across age, race and region, which may not always be reflected in clinical problems. It is well established that obese individuals require higher doses of vitamin D to achieve the same serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D as those of normal weight.

It is recommended that to prevent obesity, one should also adjust his or her lifestyle, including: maintaining a normal schedule, not staying up late, implementing a balanced diet, less fried and grilled food, high fiber, low fat, more fruits and vegetables, drinking plenty of water, and developing moderate regular exercise on a daily basis to build good body resistance; you can also take the opportunity to adjust bad living habits to add points to your health.