Consuming vitamin D, either in dietary supplements or as a part of a healthy eating regimen, is vital for skeletal and cellular health. Individuals who dont get enough of the nutrient are at risk for a number of serious deficiency symptoms, as are people whose body cannot adequately process the vitamin.
Concerning the latter group, scientists have recently discovered that overweight women who drop more than 15 percent of their body weight experience a natural increase in the amount of vitamin D in their bloodstream.
The study, which appeared in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, was based on a year-long survey of the health of more than 400 postmenopausal women, all of whom were sedentary and exceeded a healthy weight.
Researchers found that participants who lost at least 15 percent of their total body mass saw their levels of vitamin D triple, independent of any changes in what they ate.
The team concluded that weight loss may help overweight women get more of the vital nutrient circulating in their blood, which could be particularly helpful for those who are at an age when osteoporosis is a serious threat to health and wellness.