Fat cells lock in vitamin D potentially short changing health in the overweight

Being overweight is a recipe for poor health.

Pretty much everything is not performing optimally, but the big risks are cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.

Blame the fat

The blame is usually levelled at the fat stored in the adipose tissue (fat cells).

The fat cells are not just storing extra calories, they’re actually actively participating in metabolism, secreting a variety of chemicals which cause inflammation.

On top of that, the extra pounds also means that the person is heavier, so there is more strain on the joints etc.

But fat people also have less vitamin D.

Vitamin D trapped in fat

Vitamin D is classified as a fat soluble vitamin. This means that it likes to hang out where there is fat. Overweight people have more fat, so the vitamin D has more places to hang out.

It tends to get trapped inside the fat cells. The trouble is, when the vitamin D is sitting in the fat cells, it is not out and about doing vitamin D stuff.

Vitamin D does important stuff

The traditional view of vitamin D, is you need it to help you body absorb calcium. Bone growth and healing depend on getting enough calcium along with vitamin D, to keep the bones ticking over properly, protects against osteoporosis.

But, vitamin D is actually a master switch, manipulating the expression of proteins regulating cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis (programmed cell death).

Vitamin D

• Decreases inflammation
• Bends blood vessels
• Fires up the sperm
• Fights allergies

Vitamin D and the fat cell fumble

So lets just recap.

Being fat causes broken blood vessels which leads to  health problems such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Being short of vitamin D makes blood vessels inflexible causing health problems such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Being fat cause vitamin D shortages. There is also a school of thought that suggests vitamin D shortages increase the odds of being fat, but this is a another story.

Losing weight releases vitamin D

A year long study tracked vitamin D status of 439 overweight-to-obese, couch potatoes between 50 and 75. Some were encouraged to shed their extra pounds, either by modifying their eating patterns and/or exercising, another group were just left in their podgy state.

70 % of the ladies had less-than-optimal levels of vitamin D at the start.

As the women shed pounds, their vitamin D levels went up. The more fat that melted away, the more vitamin D circulated. The increase was due to the fat melting, not extra sun tanning or vitamin D supplements.

Losing fat brings down the health risks.

The question of course, is it just because there are less fat cells or could it be, because there is more vitamin D ?

Vitamin D acting as a protection against obesity health risks

So if you are overweight – can you protect yourself from developing the long list of health problems associated with the extra pounds ?

Well the first and best option is always going to be lose the fat. As you shake off the fat, you will get the double benefit of less bad fat chemicals and more vitamin D.

But if losing weight feels more like a nice to have, than an attainable goal at this stage, consider boosting your vitamin D levels.

Being fat means you need more than the average Joe. The average Joe typically doesn’t get enough, so you need to work extra hard, to make sure you’re getting all that you need.

Tap into a little lizard wisdom to get those levels up or take a supplement.

PS. The side effects of obesity can also be stopped by omega-3s

Effects of weight loss on serum vitamin D in postmenopausal women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2011) . C. Mason, L. Xiao, I. Imayama, C. R. Duggan, C. Bain, K. E. Foster-Schubert, A. Kong, K. L. Campbell, C.-Y. Wang, M. L. Neuhouser, L. Li, R. W. Jeffery, K. Robien, C. M. Alfano, G. L. Blackburn, A. McTiernan.

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Further reading

Obesity the ticking time bomb is actually stopping the clock	A pinch of pepper produces a pyrogenic sting which melts fat	Are you washing your vitamin D down the drain ?

The 7 Big Spoons™…. are master switches that turn health on.

Balance Eicosanoids	Rein in insulin	Dial down stress	Sleep !	Increase Vit D	Culivate microflora	Think champion

Hire Dr Sandy from a Spoonful of Science to be the keynote speaker at your next event.

Did you learn something new or do you have a different perspective ? I’d love to hear from you so post me a comment below…..