As mindbodygreen’s vice president of scientific affairs Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN, explained in a previous article, “less serum vitamin D [aka, 25(OH)D], circulating in our blood means less D is available to our kidneys and other target tissues for conversion to its active, hormone form for its pleiotropic actions throughout our body.”
In other words, the higher an individual’s adiposity, the more likely they are to have insufficient vitamin D levels. “And mind you, that’s just one way that adiposity can compromise vitamin D status and its ability to do its widespread job in our bones, muscles, immune cells, brain, liver, etc.,”* Ferira adds.
Research shows there may also be a dilution factor and even metabolic differences for major vitamin D pathways in individuals with more adipose tissue (as measured by fat percentage, waist circumference, and BMI). Regardless of the exact mechanisms, the science shows a clear inverse relationship between adipose tissue and vitamin D status1.
In fact, vitamin D levels have been found to play a role in metabolic health factors ranging from weight loss and body composition to blood sugar balance and hunger hormone regulation:*
