What vitamin may help you slim down?
Answer: Vitamin D*.
Why the asterisk? Because there's a caveat.
Vitamin D isn't really a vitamin. In its active form, it's actually considered a hormone. Our bodies can make it from sunlight. Its primary function is to help the body absorb calcium and phosphorous, which the body needs to build and maintain strong bones.
Vitamin D has also been shown to affect our biorhythms, moods and behavior. Spend a few days in a cloudy environment and watch how your mood changes. Sunlight, and thus vitamin D, lifts the spirit, strengthens the body and enhances our moods. A dose of sunshine is truly a body, mind and spirit boost.
More: Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?
How Vitamin D Helps Us Slim Down and Maintain Your Weight
To be clear, vitamin D isn't a magic bullet. To lose and maintain your weight, you must eat a healthy diet and exercise. But if you also add foods rich in vitamin D to your diet, you might get an extra boost.
Here's how it works: Vitamin D helps receptors in your brain keep hunger and cravings in check, as well as boost levels of the mood-elevating chemical serotonin. Vitamin D also helps the body absorb calcium. When the body lacks calcium, it may experience up to a fivefold increase in the fatty acid synthase. This enzyme converts calories into fat.
More: Healthy Ways to Handle Food Cravings
A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, reported that obese women given 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day lost six times more weight than women who dieted alone. By fueling your body with vitamin D, you absorb more calcium, kick-start the fat burning process, and could potentially lose more weight. Additionally, it helps protect your body from harmful cancer cells.
