Jun 17, 2009 6:27 pm US/Eastern
HealthWatch: Vitamin D And Weight Loss
Adequate Levels Of The "Weight Loss Vitamin" Can Be Obtained Through 10 Minutes Of Sun Exposure Each Day
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Our body controls its weight through a balance of appetite, hunger, and metabolism. These all operate best with the proper intake of vitamins. In fact, all vitamins play a role in maintaining weight, but new research says it's vitamin D that may actually help you lose it.
Most New Yorkers, such as Alec Shaffner, know the basic facts about vitamin D.
"I heard you get (vitamin D) from the sunlight," Shaffner said.
Vitamin D is produced naturally by our bodies during exposure to sunlight. But the nutrient has recently been dubbed a "weight loss vitamin" after a newly-conducted study showed it to be helpful when trying to shed a few pounds.
Researchers found women with low levels of the nutrient were, on average, 16.3 pounds heavier than those who were vitamin D sufficient. Yet
Good Housekeeping's health director Toni Hope explained that the exact cause of this phenomenon still has not been confirmed.
"Researchers believe that vitamin D may slow down the growth of fat cells," Hope said Wednesday. "Though it could be the fat cells are simply trapping the vitamin so it's not circulating through tje blood."
Summer weather undoubtedly brings many people outside into the sunshine, and some say higher levels of the nutrient -- due to increased sun exposure -- is why we tend to weigh less in the summer.
CBS 2's Dr. Holly Phillips cautions that vitamin D levels should not be used as an excuse for extreme sunbathing. A mere 10 minutes of exposure provides a sufficient amount of the nutrient.
Most New Yorkers, like Maureen Degman, feel these 10 minutes can be reached with no conscious effort.
"I'm in the sun everyday, whether I'm out running or just walking to classes," Degman said.
Vitamin D can also be obtained from certain foods, such as fish, milk, eggs and fortified orange juice. Hope added that the nutrient also comes in a supplement form.
"Experts are recommending 1000 IU of D-3 a day for adults," Hope said.
Hope feels the benefits of adequate vitamin D levels go beyond weight loss.
"It could help prevent various kinds of cancer, including breast cancer, high blood pressure, Alzheimer's disease and other problems," she said.
Vitamin D deficiency tends to be common in people with darker skin, as well as among the elderly and those who are overweight. Doctors can perform a simple blood test to check for the condition.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
2009 Celebrity Deaths
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Corzine Signs Bill On Students' Criminal Records 
Stumble It!
Reporting
Comments