A recent study of 90 California women between 16 and 22 years of age has revealed a connection between lack of vitamin D and the accumulation of fat in muscle tissues. To the surprise of researchers, almost 60 percent of the women studied were found to be lacking in vitamin D, and muscle fat levels were higher in women with the vitamin deficiency.

Lack of vitamin D is known to be connected with a large number of disease conditions, including osteopenia, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, fractures, common cancers, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and cardiovascular disease. The researchers had not expected to find so many of the study’s subjects to be deficient the vitamin, because all were healthy and young and resided in a state where they were exposed to adequate amounts of sunshine.

One of the study’s researchers, Richard Kremer, MD, PhD, FRCP(C), of McGill University, stated, “We are not yet sure what is causing vitamin D insufficiency in this group. High levels of vitamin D could help reduce body fat. Or, fat tissues might absorb or retain vitamin D, so that people with more fat are likely to also be vitamin D deficient.” Additional research will be needed before this finding is fully understood. In northern latitudes, however, where annual exposure to the sun is generally low, many practitioners advise vitamin D supplementation.

Did You Know?
In retrospective study, more than 200 Britons with chronic fatigue syndrome were found to have significantly lower levels of vitamin D than the general public.