We often talk about how important it is to get enough vitamin D to support heart health, bone health, and skin health but new findings show that older women with low levels of vitamin D may be at risk for some weight gain as well. Though more research is required to see if low levels of vitamin D are what directly cause the weight gain, it definitely adds another reason to make sure your vitamin D levels are sufficient.

The study, published in the Journal of Women’s Health, studied over 4,600 women over 65 and found that women lacking in vitamin D had gained an average of two pounds over the course of the study than women with sufficient vitamin D. The women who had low levels of vitamin D were also likely to weigh more than the women with proper levels before the study began. Researchers suggest this may potentially be due to vitamin D levels affecting the shrinking and growing of fat cells.

Vitamin D is one that is readily available but one we often struggle to get, especially during the winter or if you live up north. Our body gets this vitamin from sunlight, though small amounts can be had in eggs, fish, and milk. Many of us require a dietary supplement to boost those levels to where they need to be, especially as we get older.

This link to weight gain now joins other, more serious problems associated with vitamin D deficiency like osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, cancer, auto-immune disorders, neurological disorders, psychological disorders, and diabetes.

The medically sufficient levels for vitamin D is 30 nanograms per milliliter and Lenox Hill Hospital’s Dr. Robert Graham recommends everyone get their blood levels tested, especially as you get older.