Are you ignoring the essential nutrients that can help you lose weight?
In our efforts to melt away fat, we find ourselves making dramatic changes to our usual habits. We start refraining from foods that are “bad” for us and eat different foods, even ones we may not be used to. We focus our attention on macronutrients, that is carbs, protein, and fat. We cut calories, essentially limiting the amount of energy we are providing to our bodies. At the same time, we’re also increasing the demands we place on our bodies through increased physical activity and exercise. Yet one simple factor we often overlook, is that certain micronutrients are not only essential for a balanced diet, but also play a role in effective weight loss.
If your weight loss has hit a plateau, or you feel sluggish and lack energy when on a diet, you might be missing key nutrients.
These are the vitamins and minerals that can make or break even the best diet plan:
Vitamin D and Weight Loss:
We’ve written a lot about vitamin D and weight loss on dietivity.com as research keeps piling up. Though this nutrient is poorly understood, studies indicate that it is not only an integral part of a healthy metabolism, but also that many people suffer vitamin D deficiency without even knowing it.
In fact, a recent study shows that as much as 3/4 of US teens and adults may not be getting optimum levels of vitamin-D. Yet this is debatable, since according to the Institutes of Medicine’s (IOM) current recommendations of 200-600 IU of vitamin-D daily, only 1 in 10 people are deficient–which is still a lot of people. However because of new research, the IOM is now reviewing their recommendations for a possible increase in daily vitamin D requirements. (Results are expected in May 2010.)
Mounting evidence suggests that vitamin D is linked to obesity, diabetes, increased mortality, and heart disease. In June, scientists at the University of Minnesota tested a group of dieters and found that by testing their vitamin D levels, they could predict weight loss success. Those with lower levels lost less weight and less fat around the abdomen, than dieters with optimum levels of vitamin D. All dieters were on a calorie restricted diet.
Unfortunately, this essential nutrient is hard to obtain through food, and the best sources are fortified milk and milk products. While the body can produce its own via sunlight, many of us don’t spend as much time outdoors or use sunscreen to protect against melanoma.
To see if you may be at risk for vitamin D deficiency, what dosages of vitamin D are recommended, side effects, natural sources of vitamin D, and how to naturally produce vitamin D with sunlight, check the following links:
Having Trouble Losing Weight? Low Vitamin-D Levels May Be and Issue.
Should You Take a Vitamin-D Supplement or Enjoy the Sunshine? Answers to Vitamin-D Questions.
Vitamin B Complex and Weight Loss:
B-vitamins are often called the energy vitamins, but they are involved in so many different functions, they should be called the life-vitamins instead. As a group, B-vitamins are essential for healthy cell functioning, including: carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism, the body’s use of other vitamins, the production of hormones, the use and production of energy by the cells, and the formation of red blood cells, just to name a few.
These vitamins are water soluble, which means that they dissolve in water and excess is excreted in the urine, while relatively little is stored away. Therefore the body must have a regular supply. If you’ve cut back on food intake, increased physical activity, or reached a weight loss plateau, it is possible you’re not getting enough of these nutrients.
Because many of the B-vitamins work together, it is best not to value one over another. Instead, if you wish to take a supplement, opt for a multivitamin that has the B-complex which contains all of the essential B-vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, biotin, folic acid, and cobalamin).
Supplementing with a vitamin-B complex is a simple addition to your diet plan that can work wonders for energy levels and weight loss success. As always, consult with your physician before considering any diet supplement and make sure they will not interact with any medications you may be taking.
Natural sources of B-vitamins are generally poultry (especially whole eggs), beef, liver, tuna, yeast, and a few plant sources, mainly nuts and dark green leafy vegetables.
Chromium and Weight Loss:
Of all the nutrients studied for weight loss, chromium has been one of the most widely tested. Unfortunately, for all the research which shows this mineral as being effective, there is just as much showing that it has no benefits for fat-burning.
Here is an excerpt from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) website, regarding chromium and its effects on weight loss:
Chromium supplements are often touted as a way to reduce body fat and increase lean (muscle) mass. Yet a recent review of 24 studies that examined the effects of 200 to 1,000 mcg/day of chromium (in the form of chromium picolinate) on body mass or composition found no significant benefits. Another recent review of randomized, controlled clinical trials did find supplements of chromium picolinate to help with weight loss when compared to placebos, but the differences were small and of debatable clinical relevance…
However what is accepted, according to the NIH, is that chromium is directly involved in the action of insulin which is essential for proper metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and protein. Studies have shown that insulin is less effective without adequate chromium. So, it’s by enhancing the action of insulin that chromium can help support a healthy weight loss diet.
Vitamin C and Niacin enhance the body’s absorption of chromium, so consider a complete multivitamin and mineral supplement, instead of supplementing with chromium alone.
Natural sources of chromium include broccoli, grape juice, whole grains, beef, poultry, and some herbs and spices especially garlic and basil.
Calcium and Weight Loss:
There has been a lot of hype surrounding calcium and weight loss, especially regarding yogurt and other dairy products. Though there have been some promising studies showing that calcium may aid weight loss, many of these have been sponsored by the dairy industry and food manufacturers.
A recent and more unbiased clinical trial, referenced by the NIH website and published in the June 2009 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, followed participants who took 1,500 mg of calcium/day for two years. The results showed no clinically significant effects on weight loss in either obese or moderately overweight individuals.
While adequate calcium intake is essential for a healthy body, there isn’t enough evidence to suggest it can actually help people lose weight.
Otherwise, adequate calcium intake is essential for muscle contraction, blood vessel expansion and contraction, secretion of enzymes and hormones, transmission of nerve impulses, and bone health. The body strives to maintain constant concentrations of calcium in blood, muscle, and intercellular fluids. If these concentrations aren’t adequately provided for through diet, the body starts pulling calcium from our bones. So supplementing is a good idea if you’re not getting enough via your daily diet.
Zinc and Weight Loss:
Zinc is sometimes encouraged as a weight loss supplement, because it is important for maintaining a proper sense of taste and smell. It is also involved in many metabolic processes and healthy immune function, yet supplementing with zinc will not actively aid weight loss. There is just no evidence to support any weight loss claims associated with this mineral.
Although the body has no storage system for zinc and providing the body with a regular supply is important, it is just as important to keep in mind that excessive zinc supplementation can have some nasty side effects:
According the NIH:
“Intakes of 150–450 mg of zinc per day have been associated with such chronic effects as low copper status, altered iron function, reduced immune function, and reduced levels of high-density lipoproteins… ”
*High density lipoproteins are the “good” fats that we want to have.
Recommended Daily Intake of Zinc:
Men over 19: 11 mg/day
Women over 19: 8 mg/day
Natural sources of zinc include oysters, red meat, poultry, nuts, and fortified cereals. Chemicals called phytates found in whole grains and legumes can actually bind to zinc, inhibiting its absorption. Because of this, zinc deficiency may be of concern for vegetarians.
Iron and Weight Loss:
Iron itself isn’t associated with weight loss, but for many women, iron deficiency is a real problem often overlooked. It can certainly sabotage any efforts for weight loss and healthy lifestyle change.
As many as one in seven premenopausal women in industrialized countries suffer iron deficiency, and as many as 600 million people worldwide.
It doesn’t matter if a women is overweight or not; iron deficiency is just as likely to affect any women of childbearing age. Because symptoms can be mild, many women are unaware they have it. Then it comes time to make changes to eating habits and adding exercise, and it’s so draining…
This is because iron-deficiency anemia decreases overall energy and endurance. Without sufficient iron, red blood cells aren’t able to produce enough hemoglobin which is essential for transporting oxygen throughout the body. Without enough iron, increasing physical activity and embracing new diet habits or lifestyle changes are much harder than they should be.
Symptoms of iron deficiency anemia can include:
- general weakness
- feeling excessively tired
- frequent headaches
- difficulty maintaining body temperature (hands and feet are always cold)
- pale skin or nailbeds
- dark circles under the eyes
Women of child-bearing age should consult with their physicians and have their iron levels tested. Treatment is usually very simple, involving over-the-counter iron supplements. It can take up to six months to restore optimum iron levels in the blood and so it is important to have the guidance of a doctor.
Potential iron deficiency is one of the most often overlooked ways in which balanced nutrition plays a key role in effective dieting and lifestyle change for young women. When corrected, it can make a huge difference in overall energy levels and the ability to stick to a new exercise program and lose weight. Vegetarians should also monitor their iron levels.
Iron absorption is enhanced by vitamin C and when taken in “heme” form (found in meat). Natural sources of iron include meats, seafood, beans, fortified cereals, and dark leafy green vegetables.
*As always, consult with your physician before considering any supplement or if you feel you are suffering any nutritional deficiency. Also make sure that the supplement you choose will not interact with any medications you are taking.*
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Its true that people can sabotage their weight loss efforts by going on extreme diets that focus on restricting what you eat to the point that you are missing key nutrients. A healthy diet for weight loss will meet all of the nutritional needs of the body while achieving the calorie deficiency needed to actually lose the weight.
Melanie Milletics´s last blog ..What the Heck Are You Eating? Is That Breakfast Killing You Slowly?
As regards the chromium it has to be in a food form like StarGate Nutrition to see the benefits as regards weight loss. In addition eating during the day time rather than night can help as regards lifestyle. There may also be a connection to a sluggish thyroid gland and putting on weight. Most weight is caused by the body producing fat to buffer an acidic diet.