Low Vitamin D and Weight Gain: Is There A Link?

  • By Performance Lab
  • 5 minute read
Low Vitamin D and Weight Gain: Is There A Link?

There’s no shortage of routes to take when it comes to health and fitness goals. Muscle growth, strength gains, more power, greater force, better stamina, and, of course, weight loss.

And where supplements are concerned, there seems to be one catered to every goal and every avenue to get there, but when we step back and look at what the body actually needs, vitamin and mineral status plays a significant role.

While you may not think that being minority deficient in any one vitamin will contribute to packing on the pounds, research suggests otherwise.

Vitamin D is undoubtedly one of the most powerful vitamins in the human body and has actions in virtually every system, but the deficiency of this guy may also have a link to weight gain.

So, we’ve looked over the research, and we’re giving you what you need to know about vitamin D and weight gain and if increasing your intake can keep the pounds at bay.

What Is Vitamin D?

When it comes to the king of vitamins, vitamin D consistently takes the crown. While we typically think of it as a vitamin—after all, it is called vitamin D—it’s actually a fat-soluble pro-hormone steroid that possesses endocrine, paracrine, and autocrine functions 1; essentially, it acts more like a hormone in the body than it does a vitamin.

The endocrine functions are primarily targeted at regulating calcium and phosphorus levels, and without sufficient levels of vitamin D, the body can’t absorb calcium, which means that calcium is mobilized from bones leading to weak bones and an increased risk of osteoporosis.

Vitamin D works alongside magnesium to gain tight control over serum calcium levels by regulating the uptake of calcium and phosphate from the gut or taking calcium from bones when serum levels decline.

On the other hand, the paracrine and autocrine functions of vitamin D differ based on which type of cell expresses the vitamin D receptors (VDR), but some of the most common functions include cell proliferation, cell differentiation, and apoptosis (cell death).

Benefits Of Vitamin D

With vitamin D receptors on virtually every cell in the body and over 1000 target genes, it’s no question that vitamin D is important 2. But despite being synthesized in the skin from sun exposure and widely available in many food sources, vitamin D remains one of the most common nutrient deficiencies worldwide due to 3:

  • Decreased dietary intake and/or absorption
  • Decreased sun exposure
  • Decreased endogenous synthesis
  • Increased hepatic catabolism
  • End organ resistance

But why do we actually need sufficient levels of vitamin D?

  1. Boosts your immune system: Perhaps one of the most notable benefits of vitamin D is with immune function. It plays critical roles in both the adaptive and innate immune responses, and deficiency has been linked to an increased risk of autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, MS, diabetes, and IBD, along with increased susceptibility to infection 4, 5.
  2. Regulates mood: Research shows that vitamin D supplementation may be effective for treating mood disorders like depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD), likely due to the presence of vitamin D receptors in areas of the brain responsible for regulating mood, but it also plays a role in regulating the synthesis of serotonin, the “happy hormone” 6, 7.
  3. Bone health: As mentioned before, vitamin D plays a critical role in regulating calcium and phosphorus levels, both of which are required to mineralize the collagen matrix in bone to maintain health and strength 8. Insufficient levels lead to an increased risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures.
  4. Modulates inflammation: Along with its role in the immune system, vitamin D is critical for modulating inflammation by regulating the production of inflammatory cytokines and inhibiting the proliferation of pro-inflammatory cells 9.
  5. Glucose regulation: Blood sugar regulation is key to optimal body function, and vitamin D plays a role in it. It helps support proper glucose levels, along with reducing the risk of insulin resistance, decreasing triglyceride levels, and preventing weight gain, which is what we’re talking about next.

Does Low Vitamin D Cause Weight Gain?

While it’s unlikely that low vitamin D levels directly contribute to weight gain, there’s a fair bit of research linking low levels of vitamin D with obesity; studies find that increased body fat and obesity have been associated with lower levels of circulating vitamin D3 10.

This link has been attributed to increased storage of vitamin D3 in adipose tissue or lifestyle differences between obese and non-obese populations. However, studies still suggest that vitamin D may have an active role in weight regulation.

What’s more, VDRs are present on human adipocytes, and serum levels appear to influence lipogenesis, lipolysis, adipogenesis, and adipocyte gene transcription 10.

Some research also suggests that, especially in older people, low vitamin D levels could be a predisposing factor to fat accumulation because vitamin D directly regulates differentiation and gene transcription in adipocytes via the VDR and nuclear VDR, but can also induce adipocyte cell death, thereby decreasing fat mass 11.

Vitamin D deficiency also increases parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion, and PTH increases lipogenesis and decreases lipolysis 12, 13.

Several trials have found that people with higher circulating vitamin D levels experience more fat and weight loss and improved fat oxidation and total energy expenditure 14, 15.

Final Thoughts

With that said, vitamin D levels don’t play a direct role in weight gain, and lifestyle habits are likely a greater contributor, but they do influence factors in regulating processes that can contribute to weight gain and obesity.

As such, keeping levels up is critical not only for weight management, but also for bone health, immune function, mood, and more.

And while vitamin D is widely available in many animal-based food sources, for the plant-based eaters out there, supplementation and getting out in the sunshine are great ways to ensure you’re giving your body what it needs for peak performance and a healthy weight.

References

  1. WZ Mostafa, RA Hegazy. Vitamin D and the skin: Focus on a complex relationship: A review.J Adv Res. 2015;6(6):793-804.
  2. S Sirajudeen, I Shah, A Al Menhali. A Narrative Role of Vitamin D and Its Receptor: With Current Evidence on the Gastric Tissues.Int J Mol Sci. 2019; 20(15):3832.
  3. O Sizar, S Khare, A Goyal, et al. Vitamin D Deficiency. (Updated 2021 Jul 21). In: StatPearls (Internet). Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532266/
  4. M Hewison. Vitamin D and Innate and Adaptive Immunity. Vitamins & Hormones. 2011; 86:23-62.
  5. KL Munger, LI Levin, BW Hollis, NS Howard, A Ascherio. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and risk of multiple sclerosis. 2006;296(23):2832-2838.
  6. DW Eyles, S Smith, R Kinobe, M Hewison, JJ McGrath. Distribution of the vitamin D receptor and 1 alpha-hydroxylase in human brain.J Chem Neuroanat. 2005;29(1):21-30.
  7. RP Patrick, BN Ames. Vitamin D and the omega-3 fatty acids control serotonin synthesis and action, part 2: relevance for ADHD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and impulsive behavior. FASEB J. 2015;29(6):2207-2222.
  8. C Aranow. Vitamin D and the immune system.J Investig Med. 2011; 59(6):881-886.
  9. K Yin, DK Agrawal. Vitamin D and inflammatory diseases.J Inflamm Res. 2014;7:69-87.
  10. ES LeBlanc, JH Rizzo, KL Pedula, et al. Associations between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and weight gain in elderly women.J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2012;21(10):1066-1073.
  11. IN 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 induces Ca2+-mediated apoptosis in adipocytes via activation of calpain and caspase-12.Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2009;384(1):18-21.
  12. MB Zemel, H Shi, B Greer, D Dirienzo, PC Zemel. Regulation of adiposity by dietary calcium. FASEB J. 2000;14(9):1132-1138.
  13. MF McCarty, CA PTH excess may promote weight gain by impeding catecholamine-induced lipolysis-implications for the impact of calcium, vitamin D, and alcohol on body weight.Med Hypotheses. 2003;61(5-6):535-542.
  14. D Teegarden, KM White, RM Lyle, et al. Calcium and dairy product modulation of lipid utilization and energy expenditure.Obesity (Silver Spring). 2008;16(7):1566-1572.
  15. DR Shahar, D Schwarzfuchs, D Fraser, et al. Dairy calcium intake, serum vitamin D, and successful weight loss. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;92(5):1017-1022.
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