Vitamin D & Obesity

Summer is over. Fall is winding down and we're staring into winter. If you've not already done so, please go out and buy a vitamin D supplement. It's usually not appropriate to make blanket statements regarding supplement use. After all, supplement programs should be tailored to an individual's unique needs. However, vitamin D is one exception. Everyone who lives in Washington D.C., San Francisco or anywhere north of these cities absolutely must supplement with vitamin D between October and March.

Among the many diseases associated with vitamin D deficiency, a novel idea is popping up on the radar exploring its influence on obesity. This paper suggests that low levels of vitamin D promote an aberrant "winter response" that allows the accumulation of fat. The authors write, "It may be possible to reverse the increasing prevalence of obesity by improving vitamin D status."