10 heavyweights for weight management #2

By Bill Sardi June 22, 2010

Calcium/Vitamin D: A revolution in the understanding of the need for vitamin D, both from natural sunlight and dietary supplements, is now under way. Vitamin D has profound and broad influence over weight control and mood, which are intertwined. Consider these facts:

Overweight individuals are frequently depressed.5 It is not uncommon for overweight individuals to be placed on antidepressant drugs, which are generally known to increase weight gain.6

It is also widely observed that depression and carbohydrate craving risesin winter months, particularly in northern latitudes, when vitamin D levels are low. Increased appetite, carbohydrate craving and weight gain are more characteristic of winter than summertime depression.7

As the body mass of adults increases, their vitamin D levels are found to be lower. As vitamin D levels decline, waist size increases.8

Vitamin D also preferentially decreases abdominal fat.9 Obese individuals submitting themselves for weight-loss surgery are commonly vitamin D deficient.

Low vitamin D levels are even associated with obesity in children (74 per cent of obese children were found to be deficient in one study).10

References
5. Lykouras L. Psychological profile of obese patients. Digestive Dis 2008;26:36-9.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=18600013
6. Papakostas GI. Tolerability of modern antidepressants. J Clin Psychiatry 2008;69:Suppl E1:8-13. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18494538
7. Wehr TA, et al. Contrasts between symptoms of summer depression and winter depression. J Affect Disorder 1991;23:173-83. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1791262
8. Konradsen S, et al. Serum 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D is inversely associated with body mass index. Eur J Nutr 2008;47:87-91. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18320256
9. McGill AT, et al. Relationships of lower serum vitamin D3 with anthropometry and markers of the metabolic syndrome and diabetes in overweight and obesity. Nutr J 2008;7:4.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18226257
10. Morris KL, Zemel MB. 1,25-kihydroxyvitamin D3 modulation of adipocyte glucocoticoid function. Obes Res 2005;13:670-7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15897475