Young people who are obese may benefit from high-dosage vitamin D
Health-conscious Americans who are trying to save money may find it more cost-effective to buy their nutritional supplements through a Canadian online pharmacy.
Health-conscious Americans who are trying to save money may find it more cost-effective to buy their nutritional supplements through a Canadian online pharmacy. One nutrient that medical experts believe many people may be deficient in is vitamin D. New research suggests this may be especially true for obese adolescents.
Researchers from the University of Missouri decided to explore whether obese adolescents metabolize the nutrient differently. In a trial conducted among young people who had weight problems, the scientists gave one group high-dose vitamin D supplements, and the other received placebos. The former group had higher measurements of the vitamin in their body, but they also did not process it as well as leaner people.
"Obese adolescents face an increased risk for deficiency because they tend to absorb vitamin D in their fat stores, which prevents it from being utilized in their blood," said researcher Catherine Peterson. "We found that a daily dose of 4,000 IUs of vitamin D3, the maximum intake level set by the Institute of Medicine, is both safe and effective at improving vitamin D status in obese adolescents."
Doctors treating obese children and teenagers may want to make sure these patients are getting enough vitamin D, the researchers said.
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