Originally published May 10 2014
Losing weight can significantly improve vitamin D levels in obese women
by L.J. Devon, Staff Writer
(NaturalNews) It's known in the health community that obesity increases one's risk of getting cancer, heart disease and diabetes, but there is more to the story than just weight gain. In fact, in a new study, blood samples of most obese individuals (70 percent) showed low vitamin D levels. That correlation is significant, since vitamin D is a fat-soluble nutrient.
Vitamin D goes underutilized in obese individuals, because it can become "trapped" in their fat stores. This limits the essential nutrient from playing an active role in immune system health. New findings from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center may have connected obesity to low vitamin D levels, ultimately leading to heightened disease risk.
The research proved that, when obese women lose more than 15 percent of their body weight, they can increase the circulating levels of vitamin D in their bodies threefold!
"Since vitamin D is generally lower in persons with obesity, it is possible that low vitamin D could account, in part, for the link between obesity and diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes," said Caitlin Mason, Ph.D. "Determining whether weight loss helps change vitamin D status is important for understanding potential avenues for disease prevention."
Sun's super vitamin is valuable for cellular function, self-empowerment
Originating from the sun, vitamin D is a major catalyst for life at the cellular level, influencing cell growth and neuromuscular and immune function. Vitamin D is capable of reducing inflammation and increasing calcium absorption, which is essential for bone growth. This basic necessity to life also modulates specific gene-encoded proteins that regulate cellular functions like programmed cell death.
Studies show how fat holds up vitamin D, not allowing the body to use it properly. When the fat dissipates through diet and exercise, the vitamin D is released into the blood, where it is activated.
Sedentary lifestyles bear more consequence than just fat itself
The study basically shows how sedentary lifestyles, laziness and idleness can limit a person beyond just giving them a fat image. The accumulation of fat through idle behavior and poor diet creates an intrinsic punishment that sabotages vitamin D levels. This study highlights the good news, showing how weight reduction can increase a person's vitamin D levels drastically, enhancing their immune system and cellular clout.
Obese women lose 15 percent of body weight, allowing vitamin D levels to skyrocket
The study was conducted over the course of a year and involved 439 sedentary, obese women from Seattle between the ages of 50 and 75. About 70 percent were low in vitamin D, while 12 percent were significantly deficient (blood levels less than 12 ng/mL).
This scale is based on the Institute of Medicine's vitamin D data review that charts the optimal circulating range of vitamin D as between 20 and 50 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), Blood levels under 20 ng/mL are inadequate for bone health. In contrast, levels above 50 ng/mL can cause kidney stones.
The women were categorized into four groups, which included an exercise-driven group, a diet driven group, an exercise- and diet-driven group and a sedentary group with no intervention.
Women who used diet or exercise to lose 10 to 20 pounds experienced increased blood levels of vitamin D by about 2.7 ng/mL. Women who lost 30 or more pounds (15 percent of their body weight) experienced an increase in vitamin D levels by 300 percent! In addition, this average increase of 7.7 ng/mL of blood level vitamin D was independent of supplementation.
This shows how simple weight loss can boost the body's healing powers immensely. Losing weight is not just about image. It's about making cellular processes more efficient and boosting the immune system. The research also showed that vitamin D and weight loss isn't just a linear correlation. Vitamin D levels actually multiply as weight is lost steadily.
Sources for this article include:
http://www.fhcrc.org
http://science.naturalnews.com
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