Lost 19 lbs more if add vitamin D to calorie restriction and walking program– July 2018

All had previously been unsuccessful at losing weight
Initial weight = 98.6 kg (217 lbs)
Initial BMI =37 kg/m2
Patients with less than 30 ng level of vitamin D got 100,000 IU every two weeks
Two groups of about 100 people
12 weeks – concurrent Vitamin D supplementation and diet/exercise
All patients had a diet and walking program adjusted to their bodies

• 500-kcal deficit diet
• walking for 30 minutes 5 days/week with heart rate @ 40–54% of maximum

Comment by the founder of VitaminDWiki

• Probably would have had much more weight loss if had repleted Vitamin D BEFORE the diet and exercise portion of the program.
• The Vitamin D would have been virtually useless in the first month or two of this 3-month program
• Repletion can take 8-12 weeks if given bi-weekly (1,200,000 = 12 week X 100,000 IU)
• Repletion <2 weeks if given all within a single week (e.g. 170,000 daily)

See also VitaminDWiki

• This Common Vitamin Doubles Weight Loss– July 2019
• Overweight and obese lost 12 lbs with vitamin D in 6 months– RCT May 2015
• Patients with larger waistlines 'should have vitamin D levels checked' - May 2018
• Obese lost more weight on diet if added 50,000 IU of vitamin D weekly – many RCTs
• Overweight and obese lost 12 lbs with vitamin D in 6 months– RCT May 2015
• Impulsive or binge eating may be associated with low vitamin D – Nov 2018
• Dieters lost 5 more pounds if achieved more than 32 ng of vitamin D – RCT March 2014
• Healthy in Seven Days - Loading dose of Vitamin D – book 2014
• Overview Loading of vitamin D
• Daily, monthly Vitamin D had similar great benefits, more than 6 months needed – RCT Dec 2018

Items in both categories Obesity and Omega-3 are listed here:

Overview Obesity and Vitamin D contains the following summary

• FACT: People who are obese have less vitamin D in their blood
• FACT: Obese need a higher dose of vitamin D to get to the same level of vit D
• FACT: When obese people lose weight the vitamin D level in their blood increases
• FACT: Adding Calcium, perhaps in the form of fortified milk, often reduces weight
• FACT: 204 trials for vitamin D intervention of obesity as of April 2025
• FACT: Less weight gain by senior women with > 30 ng of vitamin D
• FACT: Dieters lost additional 5 lbs if vitamin D supplementation got them above 32 ng - RCT
• FACT: Obese lost 3X more weight by adding $10 of Vitamin D
• FACT: Those with darker skins were more likely to be obese Sept 2014
• OBSERVATION: Low Vitamin D while pregnancy ==> more obese child and adult
• OBSERVATION: Many mammals had evolved to add fat and vitamin D in the autumn
  • and lose both in the Spring - unfortunately humans have forgotten to lose the fat in the Spring
• SPECULATION: Low vitamin D might be one of the causes of obesity – several studies
• SUGGESTION: Probably need more than 4,000 IU to lose weight if very low on vitamin D due to
    risk factors such as overweight, age, dark skin, live far from equator,shut-in, etc.
• Obesity category has 453 items

See also: Weight loss and Vitamin D - many studies   Child Obesity and Vitamin D - many studies   Obesity, Virus, and Vitamin D - many studies
Obese need more Vitamin D

• Normal weight     Obese     (50 ng = 125 nanomole)

Click here for 2014 study

Obesity is associated with low Vitamin D (and treated by D as well) – Aug 2019 has the following
Fast weight loss by Obese Adults: Summary of the data as of Sept 2019
1) 50,000 IU Vitamin D weekly for at least 6 months
   If gut problems, should use a gut-friendly form of vitamin D
2) Add calorie restriction diet and light exercise after ~2 months*
   * Vitamin D levels must be above 30ng/ml to help with weight loss
   * Start losing weight 2 months sooner if take a 50,000 IU daily for a week
3) More weight loss if also add Magnesium or cofactors
   30% Improved Vitamin D response with Magnesium - a Vitamin D Cofactor
   Note: Magnesium reduces weight loss by itself as well
   20% improved vitamin D response if also add Omega-3 a Vitamin D Cofactor
  Note: Omega-3 reduces weight loss by itself as well
4) More weight loss if also improve activation of Vitamin D Receptor
   Vitamin D Receptor activator: 0-30% improved Vitamin D response
   Obesity 1.5 X more likely if poor Vitamin D Receptor – meta-analysis Nov 2019
Update Dec 2019 - Dr. Greger plant-based eating (not diet) for both weight loss and health.
  His book does not mention Vitamin D nor Adenovirus