The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolismNov 12, 2024

Weight Loss Changes Vitamin D Levels in Women with Obesity but Not in Men

GLP-1 Therapies Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗OA ↗

Updated Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

Weight loss from a low-calorie diet resulted in an increase of 12 nmol/L in serum vitamin D for women and 13 nmol/L for men.

Both women and men showed increased serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels after weight loss from a low-calorie diet.
Further weight loss in women during the intervention led to an additional increase in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D compared to those who regained weight.
Women who lost more weight had lower baseline serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels than those who regained weight.
Initial low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were linked to successful weight loss maintenance in women, but this association was not observed in men.

Simplified

CONTEXT: Obesity is associated with low vitamin D status -, and recent studies have suggested a difference in vitamin D metabolism between females and males.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of weight loss on vitamin D status in individuals with obesity, and secondarily, whether vitamin D metabolism differs between women and men.

METHODS: Secondary analysis from a randomized placebo-controlled trial, designed to investigate the efficacy of 52 weeks of treatment with either liraglutide, exercise, or both combined compared with placebo on weight loss maintenance after an 8-week low-calorie diet-induced weight loss in 195 individuals with obesity (body mass index 32-43 kg/m2).

RESULTS: The low-calorie diet-induced weight loss resulted in an increase in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25()D) in both women and men [12 nmol/L (95% confidence interval [CI] 9-15) and 13 nmol/L (95% CI 8-17); P < .001 for both]. Women who experienced a further weight loss during the 52 weeks of intervention had an increase in serum 25(OH)D compared with women regaining weight [14 nmol/L (95% CI 6-22); P = .001]. Interestingly, women experiencing further weight loss at week 52 had a lower serum 25(OH)D at baseline compared with women regaining weight [54 nmol/L (SD 19) vs 70 nmol/L (SD 25), P < .001.].

CONCLUSION: Weight loss induced by a low-calorie diet resulted in an increase in serum 25(OH)D in both women and men. Only in women, further weight loss had an additional beneficial impact on vitamin D. Additionally, initial low serum 25(OH)D was associated with successful weight loss maintenance in women but not men.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT04122716.

Key numbers

12 nmol/L

Increase in Serum 25()D in Women

Average increase after an 8-week low-calorie diet.

14 nmol/L

Impact on Serum 25()D in Women

Difference in serum 25()D between women losing vs regaining weight.

54 nmol/L

Baseline Serum 25()D in Women

Compared to 70 nmol/L in women regaining weight.

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Weight Loss Changes Vitamin D Levels in Women with Obesity but Not in Men

Abstract

Key numbers

Full Text

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