How Do Vitamins Help With Weight Loss?

Have you ever had a friend tell you that taking vitamins helped them lose weight? Yes, I did! To put it bluntly, it didn’t work out as well for me as it did for him.

Everyone has been guilty of looking for a quick fix to reverse years of bad habits, wishing that reducing weight might be as simple as putting some vitamin supplements in your mouth every morning. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

Please don’t get me wrong. Vitamins can help you lose weight, and that’s what we’ll talk about today.

1. Can Vitamins Help You Lose Weight?

When it comes to weight loss, vitamins alone are ineffective. Vitamins, when combined with the appropriate kind of health practices, can be a useful ally in the battle against those few extra pounds.

At any given time, your body is undergoing a variety of chemical reactions, and many of these reactions rely on vitamins to regulate key steps. Some of these chemical processes will suffer if you don’t get enough vitamins, and your body won’t work properly.

Some of your weight loss attempts will be worthless if your body isn’t performing as efficiently as it should.

When you give your body these vital vitamins in the form of supplements, you’re allowing it to function at its best, and you’re preventing any sub-optimal processes from sabotaging your weight-loss attempts.

2. Which Vitamins Can Help with Weight Loss?

Vitamin D

Obese people with more vitamin D in their systems lost more weight after starting a weight-loss program, according to a study conducted at the University of Minnesota. ^[1]

Vitamin D is one of the most affordable vitamins available, and it’s absolutely free. By merely soaking in the delicious sunlight, your body can manufacture adequate vitamin D.

However, many individuals are spending an increasing amount of time indoors, and sunshine is no longer an option. As a result, there are a variety of supplements available to assist make up for that deficiency.

Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to weight gain and obesity, and a high number of Americans have inadequate vitamin D levels.

Furthermore. Tuna, beef liver, cheese, egg yolks, cereals, and milk are all high in vitamin D.

Vitamin C

We’ve all heard about vitamin C before. We know it comes from a glass of orange juice and that it’s good for keeping a cold at bay. Did you realize, however, that it can help you lose weight?

Individuals having higher levels of vitamin C in their systems shed more weight than those with lower levels of vitamin C, according to research. ^[2] Supplements can help you maintain high vitamin C levels, but increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables is a fantastic method to get that vitamin C while still eating a nutritious diet.

The absorption of iron in your body can be significantly improved with vitamin C. Fruits including kiwi, watermelon, and pineapple contain it.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12, often known as cobalamin, is a vital vitamin for a variety of biological activities. ^[3] The development and maintenance of red blood cells, nerve cells, and DNA are all dependent on vitamin B12. Aside from those duties, vitamin B12 is critical for controlling how your body consumes certain nutrients.

When you’re lacking in vitamin B12, your body stores nutrients in adipose tissue, or fat, rather than burning them for energy. Maintaining a healthy level of vitamin B12 in your body can aid in weight loss and keep you in good shape.

Vitamin B12 is found in supplements and animal products. It’s critical to remember that plant foods do not contain vitamin B12, which is very crucial for vegans and those on vegetarian diets to lose weight. Sardines, beef, milk, fish, chicken, and eggs all contain vitamin B12.

Vitamin B1

Because they’re all members of the vitamin B complex, vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, is related to vitamin B12. Vitamin B1 is beneficial in the fight against excess weight, just as its colleague.

Vitamin B1 has a critical role in appetite control.^[4]

People who are vitamin B1 deficient may find themselves eating more frequently than they would want, which isn’t ideal, especially while trying to reduce weight.

Aside from that, vitamin B1 aids in the conversion of carbohydrates to energy. A vitamin B1 deficiency could indicate that your metabolism isn’t quite right and that your body is storing carbohydrates as fat rather than burning them.

Vitamin B1 is found in a wide range of foods, including milk, eggs, and cereals. If you don’t like them, you can take vitamin B pills, which normally contain all of the vitamins in the vitamin B complex. Oranges, pork, almonds, pasta, bread, and rice are all high in vitamin B1.

Minerals

Although these aren’t technically vitamins, they are frequently included in slang.

There are a number of minerals that may be purchased as supplements and are beneficial in weight loss programs:

Calcium has been associated with a healthy metabolic rate^[5] and well-controlled blood glucose levels. Calcium, when combined with vitamin D, does a lot more than just keep your bones strong; it also helps you lose weight. Dairy products are high in calcium and vitamin D, and supplements are also available.

Iron is necessary for the structure of red blood cells, which transport oxygen to the body’s cells. Low iron levels can lead to anemia or a lack of red blood cell formation. ^[6]

When trying to lose weight, a decreased quantity of red blood cells means a worse oxygen delivery to the cells, which might hinder exercise and sports performance.

Magnesium is essential for the activity of several enzymes as well as the action of ATP, the cell’s primary source of energy.^[7]

Magnesium deficiency has a negative impact on metabolism, therefore it’s important to get enough of it from foods like nuts, seeds, and grains.

3. Where to Go from Here?

While vitamins (and minerals) don’t perform the hard lifting when it comes to weight reduction, they can keep your body in top shape and aid in optimum function, which speeds up the process and can work in tandem with other components of the routine like dieting and exercise.

To make your weight loss journey as easy as possible, keep your food healthy and balanced, and supplement as needed.

Make an appointment with your family doctor to discuss recommended dosages for best health if you’re thinking about taking any of these vitamin supplements.

Last but not least, remember to vary your exercise routines in addition to taking these vitamins. Do a spinning class, then lift some heavyweights the next day. Every every penny counts!