Is A Vitamin Deficiency Making You Fat?

Vitamins do more than fight colds, they may also help fight weight gain. Research published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, suggests that there could be an intricate relationship between how much you weigh and how many vitamins and minerals you consume. Falling short of common nutrients like vitamin A could be why you are packing on the pounds. The research analysed responses from over 18,000 Americans from a 7 year nutrition study and found that, when compared to normal weight individuals, obese adults had 5 to 12% lower intakes of all micronutrients across the board. A few of the deficiencies stood out more than others. Again, compared to normal weight adults, 20% more obese adults were lacking in vitamin A, vitamin C, and magnesium. They were also less likely to meet the recommended requirements for calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin E. One possible explanation for this difference is that people with a higher BMI tend to eat food that contains fewer nutrients. The researchers on this study also suggest that maybe it is inadequate nutrient intake that actually contributes to obesity. Vitamin A is linked to the regulation of fat cells and the hormones they release which could play a role in maintaining a healthy body weight. And vitamin D could play a role in the release of leptin, the hormone that controls our sense of hunger and how much food we store in our body. Being deficient in either could effect body weight. If you are worried you are not getting enough, you should be. The research shows that 40% of all adults, regardless of weight, weren't consuming recommended amounts of vitamins A, C, D, E, calcium, and magnesium. Here are some suggestions to help you get more of these important helpers!