As you know I am on a site for my weight loss management. We share a lot - tricks to help with food, recipes, healthy tid bits and advice. My friend Candy posted a bit about Vit D today - it is an amazing write up. WIth obesity, PCOS and now MS in my household, I am overly sensitive to anything related to Vit D. I of course take multi vitamins every day thanks to my new "friend" around my tummy because I dont eat enough food to make sure I get these supplements through food. Anyway - these studies seemed pertinant not just to my fellow PCOS friends who occasionally read this site but also to family members who may have similar issues - Thanks to Candy for putting this together!

 
http://www.womentowomen.com/healthynutrition/vitamind.aspx

If you live in a region above latitude 40 (a horizontal line that runs from
just below New York City west to northern California), then the sun is only
strong enough between May and September to trigger the vitamin D conversion
(or the converse in the Southern Hemisphere). This means that a large
percentage of the population is at significant risk much of the year for
vitamin D deficiency. For all these reasons we recommend 2000 IU per day for
anyone at or above this latitude, at least from the fall through the spring
months. But the ideal course of action is vitamin D
testing<http://www.womentowomen.com/healthynutrition/vitamindtestingandtreatment.aspx>,
since there is so much individual variation. You would really need to see
your practitioner and have your vitamin D levels tested before upping your
supplemental dose beyond 2000 IU per day.

Vitamin D deficiency symptoms

Vitamin D deficiency may be characterized by muscle pain, weak
bones/fractures, low energy and
fatigue<http://www.womentowomen.com/understandyourbody/symptoms/fatigue.aspx>,
lowered immunity, symptoms of
depression<http://www.womentowomen.com/understandyourbody/symptoms/depressed.aspx>and
mood
swings<http://www.womentowomen.com/understandyourbody/symptoms/moodswings.aspx>,
and sleep irregularities<http://www.womentowomen.com/understandyourbody/symptoms/insomnia.aspx>.
Women with renal problems or intestinal concerns (such as
IBS<http://www.womentowomen.com/digestionandgihealth/ibs.aspx>or
Crohn’s disease) may be vitamin D deficient because they can neither
absorb nor adequately convert the nutrient.
Vitamin D and weight loss

Moreover, people who have a reduced capacity to mobilize vitamin D often
weigh more and have more body fat than those with full capacity. In the past
20 years multiple studies have shown a correlation between higher blood
levels of vitamin D and leaner body mass.

To my thinking, what seems essential for us to understand here is the
vitamin D connection with insulin
resistance<http://www.womentowomen.com/insulinresistance/default.aspx>.
Vitamin D deficiency may contribute to the wide set of disorders associated
with metabolic syndrome (syndrome X), as well as to PCOS. In a study
published in 2004, the authors saw a 60% improvement in insulin sensitivity
in healthy, vitamin D replete adults — and concluded vitamin D was more
potent than two prescription medications commonly used to treat type 2
diabetes! But the cadres of drug reps spread out across America are not
likely to be reminding your healthcare practitioner about this study. They
are not likely to have heard about it!

Clearly, vitamin D seems to be very important in regulating our weight, but
we don’t yet understand the mechanism involved or how it relates to our
environment and individual biochemistry. Still, there seems to be a
correlation between rising rates of obesity and vitamin D deficiency. If you
are having difficulty with insulin resistance or weight gain — or can’t keep
the pounds off once you lose them — you may want to have your vitamin D
levels checked by your healthcare practitioner.

We just returned for our several weeks in Germany! What a blast! I am still shell shocked from jet lag though - easier coming home my left foot. Still it was amazin'! We were there for the 20th anniversary of the Fall of the Wall and my kids put together a little video in areas for their class video log (an assignment to document all they learned)...it was pretty fun and just plain insane the night of the celebration - we got to see it up SO close as you will see...

 

enjoy!