The Vitamin Deficiency that Prevents Fat Loss

Fat loss is not an easy path. When you lose weight, you want it to be fat and not muscle. Unfortunately, in the USA, a simple vitamin deficiency results in our not being able to lose fat, effectively.

What is the vitamin? Vitamin D. About 75% of our population lacks sufficient levels of this vitamin. Optimal levels are from 55-70 ng/ml. A simple blood test is all it takes.

Researchers studied people who were put on a calorie-restricted diet. The ones that had greater blood levels of D lost more weight than the control group. For every 1ng/ml blood level increase, an extra half pound was lost. If your levels are only 10ng/ml lower than optimal levels, all things being equal, you’d lose 5 fewer pounds.

Sunshine is a natural source of D. However, for those living in the colder climates, it is impossible to get sufficient amounts. Also, at least 70% of the body has to be exposed to 20 minutes of sunshine a day in order to produce enough D. So, what’s the answer?

1. Eat protein high in D (not the fortified kind as the body doesn’t recognize it), such as salmon, mackerel and sardines.

2. Eat more eggs. Eggs are the perfect food. DO NOT eat Egg Beaters!

3. Eat porchini mushrooms.

4. Get some sun everyday, if you can.

5. Get a whole food, purified Vitamin D supplement. Don’t bother with the pharmaceutical brands or cheap brands, your body won’t assimilate them the way they can the whole food variety. Cod liver oil from Standard Process is my recommendation.

Dr. Esther