Vitamin D And Weight Loss - New Research Reveals Secret To Weight Loss Recent studies into vitamin D have further expanded our understanding about how it affects our bodies. In a study done in 2000, which is published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, it was stated that at least 77 of the American population suffers from vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in strengthening our bones, fighting depression and boosting our immune system. What's more, studies have shown that vitamin D may also help with improving our moods and preventing disorders such as depression. Now, most of us seem to blame what we eat when we're gaining excess weight, or not losing weight fast enough. In reality, it might be something you're not eating too much of that's causing the problem. Shockingly, after decades of research and thousands of studies, experts may have finally proven that missing out on vitamin D could be a major factor in pushing the number on your scale higher and higher. Unlike other essential vitamins, vitamin D isn't something we normally consume through what we eat, although it can readily be manufactured inside our bodies, provided that we get enough exposure to sunlight. Unfortunately, however, our body's ability to produce vitamin D is hindered by sunscreen products, products we use to prevent sunburn and skin cancer. Depending on the level of SPF and the way it is applied, sunscreen could reduce your body's capacity to produce vitamin D by as much as 90-99. What's more, even if you don't use any form of protection against the sun, you might not be soaking in the right kind of rays to produce vitamin D efficiently. The sunlight you're most likely to get on a daily basis, the sunlight in the early morning and late afternoon, is normally too weak to generate enough vitamin D.