Want to lose weight? New study suggests boosting Vitamin D levels

Vitamins are in the spotlight lately, from Vitamin-enriched water and juice drinks to supplements to boost the immune system or metabolism. Now a new study suggests that Vitamin D might help us lose more weight when we are on calorie-restricted diets. Researchers at the University of Minnesota report that Vitamin D levels in the body at the start of a low-calorie diet predict weight loss success.
The researchers followed participants who had a calorie-restricted diet to see whether baseline vitamin D levels before calorie restriction had an effect on subsequent weight loss. The higher the Vitamin D level the more weight the person lost. Also, participants with higher baseline vitamin D levels lost more abdominal fat. While the researchers suggest that adding Vitamin D to a reduced-calorie diet might increase weight loss, they caution that more research is need via clinical research. The results of their study were presented at The Endocrine Society's 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C...Perhaps, those of us who work in cubes or windowless offices should try to get out in the daylight sun for at least 15 minutes a day and eat more foods rich in Vitamin D, including fish, low-fat or skim milk, fortified cereal and orange juice, and mushrooms.