New research suggests that overweight or obese individuals have a slower metabolism of vitamin D supplements. The study found that fat people with a body mass index (BMI) over 25 could not increase their vitamin D levels as much as people with a lower BMI. Researchers discovered that individuals with higher BMIs also had lower vitamin D levels at the beginning of the study.
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It was part of the Vitamin D and Omega-3 Trial (VITAL), an effort at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston to study whether omega-3 supplements could reduce chronic disease risk.
The author of the study, epidemiologist Deirdre K. Tobias, said that previous analyses of VITAL data showed that vitamin D supplementation reduced certain cancer risks, but only for people with BMIs under 25.
Researchers Are Still Studying Vitamin D Supplements
Most doctors and nutritionists recommend supplements only for people with diagnosed deficiencies. Our bodies use vitamin D to strengthen bones and strengthen our immune system. Dietitians recommend salmon, mushrooms, and eggs as foods that contain nutrients. Supplemental vitamin D has been found to reduce depression and cancer deaths in some small studies, but more extensive trials have not found any evidence that it strengthens bones or prevents heart disease.
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A lot of vitamin D can be harmful. Calcium levels in the blood can become too high if vitamin D levels are too high since it helps the body absorb calcium. Hypercalcemia is when blood calcium levels are too high, causing kidney stones and heart failure. Catherine Schuster, Bruce of Insider, recently reported on a man who lost 28 pounds after taking 400 times the recommended amount of vitamin D in three months.