The Vitamin That Quadruples Weight Loss

Created October 2019

Psyblog

Psychologist, Jeremy Dean, PhD is the founder and author of PsyBlog

  • Taking vitamin D supplements can significantly increase weight loss, according to a recent study.

  • People who took vitamin D supplements had over four times the weight loss as those that did not, researchers found.

  • Vitamin D also doubled the number of inches taken off their waistlines.

  • Low levels of vitamin D is repeatedly linked to being overweight and obese.

  • Almost 40 percent of obese people are deficient in vitamin D.

  • The study included 400 obese and overweight people with vitamin D deficiency.

  • They were put on a low-calorie diet and split into three groups.

  • One group took 25,000 IU of vitamin D per month,

    • the second took 100,000 IU of vitamin D per month and the

    • control group took none.

  • Six months later the results showed that both vitamin D groups had lost more weight than those who were not taking the vitamin.

  • Those taking 100,000 (per month , or around 3,000 IU per day, had 12 pounds of weight loss.

  • People taking 25,000 IU, or around 800 IU per day, lost 8 pounds.

  • In comparison, those only following the calorie restricted diet had just 2.6 pounds of weight loss over the six months.

  • The study’s authors write:

    • “The present data indicate that in obese and overweight people with vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D supplementation aids weight loss and enhances the beneficial effects of a reduced-calorie diet.”

  • Measurements of dieters’ waistlines also revealed vitamin D had had an effect.

  • Those taking 100,000 IU lost an average of two inches from their waistline compared to just over 1 inch in the control group.

  • The researchers conclude:

    • “All people affected by obesity should have their levels of vitamin D tested to see if they are deficient, and if so, begin taking supplements.”

Taken from Vitamin D Council, which had the following reference:

Vitamin D Supplements May Aid Weight Loss For Obese And Overweight People, Study Finds Huffingpost Sept 2015 ( a conference presentation?)

See also VitaminDWiki

Obesity is associated with low Vitamin D (and treated by D as well) – Aug 2019 has the following

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Meta-analysis found no weight loss benefit (but NONE of the trials used high-dose Vitamin D for a long time)

Also, none of the trials analyzed used calorie restriction or exercise

Is Vitamin D Supplementation Useful for Weight Loss Programs?
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials - July 2019

Medicina (Kaunas). 2019 Jul; 55(7): 368. doi: 10.3390/medicina55070368

Simone Perna

📄 Download the PDF from VitaminDWiki

Background and Objectives: The controversy about the impact of vitamin D supplementation on weight loss treatment was observed in several randomized controlled trials (RCTs). This meta-analysis investigates the effects of vitamin D supplementation (cholecalciferol or ergocalciferol) on weight loss through holistic measurements of Body Mass Index (BMI), weight and waist circumference.

Materials and Methods: Google Scholar, WOS, PubMed and Scopus were explored to collect relevant studies. The selected articles focused on vitamin D supplementation in overweight and obese individuals with different conditions. Eleven RCTs were included into this meta-analysis with a total of 947 subjects, with a mean of the follow-up from 1 to 12 months and different vitamin D interventions (from 25,000 to 600,000 IU/monthly of cholecalciferol).

Results: The meta-analyzed mean differences for random effects showed that cholecalciferol supplementation deceases the BMI by −0.32 kg/m2 (CI95% −0.52, −0.12 kg/m2, p = 0.002) and the waist circumference by −1.42 cm (CI95% −2.41, −0.42 cm, p = 0.005), but does not statistically affect weight loss −0.43 kg (CI95% −1.05, +0.19 kg, p = 0.17).

Conclusions: This meta-analysis lays the foundation for defining the potential clinical efficacy of vitamin D supplementation as a potential therapeutic option for weight loss programs, but further studies are needed to confirm the validity of these findings and delineate potential underlying mechanisms.

Tags: Obesity Women