Vitamin D and B12 Levels

dispatcher939

How much do Vitamin D and B12 levels affect weight loss?
Would it be better to take a supplement or can you get enough from diet alone?

TimothyFish

Vitamin D comes from being out in the sun and B12 comes eating meat and dairy. If you aren't doing those, then you might need a supplement.

cwolfman13

You shouldn't supplement vitamin D unless you are actually deficient...a blood test will tell you that. You can take too much vitamin D and it can be toxic. It is suggested that vitamin D deficiencies can have an adverse effect on weight control...but really, my opinion on that is pretty much grasping at straws and looking for excuses.

I've never heard of B12 having any impact on your weight loss. If you eat meat you probably get enough. If you have a deficiency, it is likely you have an absorption issue or you're a vegetarian.

Boogs54

http://umnews.ur.umn.edu/news/features/2009/UR_CONTENT_165066.html

The study linked above indicates there may be a link between low Vitamin D and an increased difficulty in losing weight.

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/news/20101217/obesity-linked-lower-vitamin-d-levels

Obese people need more vitamin D that normal weight people. I'm morbidy obese and I had my vitamin d tested a year ago my level was 8. My goal with my doctor was to bring it up to 50. I took 50,000 IUs per week for 3 months and rechecked (was also mid-summer on the recheck) and my levels were only 23. I now take 150,000 IUs per week and have a recheck in a month to see where I am.

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/am-i-getting-too-much-vitamin-d/

On vitamin D toxicity. You need to take A LOT of vitamin D to go toxic. Again, the more obese you are, the more you can actually take because your body needs more.

I know how much better I felt after getting my levels from 8 to 24. So if you think your levels are low, see if your doctor will order the OH 25D blood test. The last time I had mine done I had to pay for it out of pocket because many insurance carries are no longer paying for the test.

dispatcher939

Thanks,Those are two levels they are testing along with my thyroid. So figured I would start doing some research on them and get my list of questions/concerns ready for the doctor when I get all my results back.

Kalikel

Unless you're a vegan, you can get B-12 from your diet. And D. If you can be out in the sunshine, your body can make it's own D.

I take both daily and haven't noticed they help with weight loss. I take them because I have low to no amounts without the supplements.

If your doctor tells you to supplement, do it. But if you don't need supplements, there is no reason to waste your money.

socalkay

Not weight loss related but a good time to remind all that vitamin D is very important because the body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium. Inadequate calcium significantly contributes to the development of osteoporosis. But it is important for all ages, not just seniors, to get adequate vitamin D and calcium. Calcium is needed for our heart, muscles, and nerves to function properly and for blood to clot.

www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Bone_Health/Nutrition/

There is some evidence that weight gain in post-menopausal women may be mitigated in a small way by getting enough vitamin D and calcium but I don't know how many supporting studies have been done.

www.webmd.com/diet/news/20070514/calcium-vitamin-d-slows-weight-gain

Boogs54

Kalikel wrote: »

Unless you're a vegan, you can get B-12 from your diet. And D. If you can be out in the sunshine, your body can make it's own D.

I take both daily and haven't noticed they help with weight loss. I take them because I have low to no amounts without the supplements.

If your doctor tells you to supplement, do it. But if you don't need supplements, there is no reason to waste your money.

Even being out in the sunshine doesn't always help. If you live in the northeast US as I do, you won't be able to make vitamin D from the sun between the months of November and March. The further north you go, the longer the period when your body can't make D. Of course, if you live in the southern US, this is less of an issue.

0somuchbetter0

Boogs54 wrote: »

http://umnews.ur.umn.edu/news/features/2009/UR_CONTENT_165066.html

The study linked above indicates there may be a link between low Vitamin D and an increased difficulty in losing weight.

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/news/20101217/obesity-linked-lower-vitamin-d-levels

Obese people need more vitamin D that normal weight people. I'm morbidy obese and I had my vitamin d tested a year ago my level was 8. My goal with my doctor was to bring it up to 50. I took 50,000 IUs per week for 3 months and rechecked (was also mid-summer on the recheck) and my levels were only 23. I now take 150,000 IUs per week and have a recheck in a month to see where I am.

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/am-i-getting-too-much-vitamin-d/

On vitamin D toxicity. You need to take A LOT of vitamin D to go toxic. Again, the more obese you are, the more you can actually take because your body needs more.

I know how much better I felt after getting my levels from 8 to 24. So if you think your levels are low, see if your doctor will order the OH 25D blood test. The last time I had mine done I had to pay for it out of pocket because many insurance carries are no longer paying for the test.

I have a Vitamin D deficiency and I'm bad about taking my pills. When you say you felt better after getting your levels up, how did you feel exactly, before and after?

Boogs54

I was terribly lethargic, I had muscle spasms all over my body. The worst issue I had though was the bone pain. Especially in my joints, mainly my hips and knees. I had those symptoms for years and no doctor I went to ever made the connection until my most recent and still current doctor picked up on it. Within two months the bone pain started to subside and I started feeling better.

I have trouble remembering to take my D also. But lately, I've been doing pretty well. I went a few months not taking it early in the year and the old symptoms started to come back. My doctor I estimate I've walked around with OH 25D levels below 10 for 5-6 years based on the symptoms the symptoms I was complaining about over the years from my charts. She told me that it is very possible that I was vitamin D insufficient for years before that as well.

The vitamin D council webiste is a great place to start. They also have some very good lectures on youtube.

0somuchbetter0

Thank you for the information! I guess I've been fortunate that I haven't had any symptoms. Definitely going to be better about taking my pills -- you've impressed on me how important it is. I'm now just a few lbs from being "overweight" instead of "obese," so hopefully my next blood test results will be better.

Glad you're feeling better!

StephanieT0602

I have a B12 deficiency. I'm not vegan, or vegetarian for that matter, but my body just doesn't absorb it properly. I don't think it had any correlation to my weight, however low B12 levels has a huge impact on my energy levels (zero energy, constantly tired, etc).

dispatcher939

Thank you for all the information!

nicsflyingcircus

cwolfman13 wrote: »

You shouldn't supplement vitamin D unless you are actually deficient...a blood test will tell you that. You can take too much vitamin D and it can be toxic. It is suggested that vitamin D deficiencies can have an adverse effect on weight control...but really, my opinion on that is pretty much grasping at straws and looking for excuses.

I've never heard of B12 having any impact on your weight loss. If you eat meat you probably get enough. If you have a deficiency, it is likely you have an absorption issue or you're a vegetarian.

I eat plenty of meat and spend plenty of time in the sun and was still deficient in B12 (not super low, but lower than the "norm" range) and my D was super low. I had two B12 injections and take a supplement daily, as well as a D3 supplement. Now, I was losing weight, so I am not trying to say that being low in these hinders weight loss, it certainly didn't. But I am certainly not a vegetarian.