Weight gain

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that aids in the absorption of dietary calcium and phosphorus from the intestines and inhibits the release of parathyroid hormone, a hormone that promotes bone resorption. Vitamin D helps to maintain bone health and improves muscle and immune function. As a result, women over the age of 65 may gain weight due to a lack of vitamin D or low levels of vitamin D (vitamin D deficiency). One study found that older women with low vitamin D levels gained more weight over 5 years than women with adequate levels of the vitamin.

However, the amount of weight gained was relatively small, about 2 pounds and the women with low levels of vitamin D weighed more at the start of the study than the women who had adequate vitamin D levels. Studies have also shown that being overweight is a risk factor for vitamin D deficiency. While vitamin D deficiency may be seen in cases of obesity, further studies are needed to determine whether supplementing with this vitamin helps prevent weight gain.