Our culture places a great deal of emphasis on weight loss. There are new fad diets that trend in and then fade out – for one reason or another. Some are not sustainable while others are just unhealthy overall.
Unfortunately, obesity in the United States is very common, which leads to this infatuation with finding new ways to lose weight. In fact, the statistics related to obesity are quite concerning. According to the CDC, the prevalence of obesity among United States adults was 39.8% in 2015-2016. This is particularly concerning given the health conditions that come along with obesity. These include strokes, heart disease, certain types of cancer and type 2 diabetes. Not only is obesity concerning when it comes to its impact on health, but it is also incredibly costly. Medical expenses are typically $1,429 higher for those Americans who are obese when compared to those who have a healthy body weight.
If you are like the rest of us and are trying to lose weight, but would like to do it the right away – as opposed to following an unsustainable fad diet – you might want to consider some of the best vitamins and supplements for weight loss. With this method, you are simply incorporating more of what your body needs – instead of following a fad diet that deprives you of things you want to eat.
B-Complex for an unbalanced diet
If you don’t have a particularly well-balanced diet, you may be deficient in B-Complex, which includes 8 different vitamins. If you are eating a wide array of healthy foods, including animal products, it is not too hard to get the full battery of B vitamins. But let’s say you’re following a diet that does not include enough meat products. Or let’s say you’ve recently become a vegan, or a vegetarian, or you’ve stopped eating gluten. In those cases, getting enough B-Complex can be really challenging.
Don’t mistake the letter of the vitamin for being anything less than first in class: B-Complex is a critical part of any well-studied diet.
Our homework reveals that the vitamins in B-Complex help to create blood cells, produce energy, support the nervous system, and stimulate healthy nail and hair growth. You might have a B vitamin deficiency if you’ve been suffering from fatigue and weakness, anemia, or have difficulty thinking and walking. We’re pretty sure that upon taking B-Complex you’ll be grading it an A-plus.
Take, for example, the impact of thiamine, or B1, which is just one of the vitamins found in B-Complex. By having sufficient thiamine levels in your diet, your body can turn the carbohydrates you eat into energy, which can then be used for exercise or other activities that promote weight loss. On the other hand, low levels of thiamine can slow down your metabolism, which makes it harder to shed those lbs.
Get stronger bones with a healthy dose of Vitamin D
Studies suggest Vitamin D deficiency is linked to obesity. In fact, a diet with insufficient levels of Vitamin D has been linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, obesity and hypertension.
Vitamin D is critical for promoting strong bones as it helps the body absorb calcium. What’s more, according to the National Institutes of Health, Vitamin D also reduces inflammation, promotes immune function and modulates cell growth. Vitamin D supplements can help you bridge the gap between the amount of Vitamin D you need and the amount you receive from diet and sun exposure alone.
Calcium to help promote weight loss
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, calcium is the most plentiful mineral in the human body. Calcium is found in many dairy products. It helps to create and sustain healthy bones and teeth, and if you maintain proper levels of calcium throughout your life, calcium can also help you to avoid osteoporosis as you age. As importantly, calcium helps our bodies maintain a normal heartbeat, helps our blood to clot, our muscles to relax and flex, aids in the release of hormones, and assists proper nerve signaling.
A study performed in 2010, suggested that a diet high in calcium intake and Vitamin D can help in weight loss. Calcium and Vitamin D work in tandem so it is particularly important to make sure you are getting adequate amounts of both to ensure that you are reaping the benefits. Given that Vitamin D aids the body in absorbing calcium, you need enough of it to feel the full effects of calcium, even if you are getting enough calcium in your diet or through supplements.
Try Iron for a healthier metabolism
Think of the mineral iron as a blacksmith in the human body, as it plays a key role in the production of red blood cells. It is a critical component of hemoglobin which moves oxygen from the lungs to the tissues throughout the body. Given that iron moves oxygen from the lungs to the body’s tissues, if you are working out to promote weight loss, you want to ensure you have enough iron in your system to add in that oxygenation. Most crucial for weight loss, iron supports a healthy metabolism.
Fish Oil can be used to help manage weight
Fish oil supplements, which contain Omega-3 fatty acids, can help to avoid a variety of health ailments, by reducing levels of triglycerides, slowing the progression of age-related macular degeneration, and helping to relieve some of the symptoms that come with rheumatoid arthritis.
There have been many studies performed, and more are ongoing, that suggest there may be a link between the consumption of fish oil and weight loss.
Take Magnesium to stay energized
Magnesium ought to be a critical part of your weight loss program, particularly if you plan on working out and trying to build muscle. That is because magnesium plays a key role in helping to produce energy as well as muscle contraction. Magnesium can help you to keep your energy up to burn those extra calories and lose that extra weight.
Probiotics can help limit weight gain
Probiotics have grown in popularity in recent years, given their wide variety of health benefits. These benefits include managing your weight, boosting your immune system, and keeping your digestive system healthy. Probiotics are basically a good bacteria, which is usually found naturally in your body. However, when we do not have enough of the good bacteria, it is much easier for bad bacteria to congregate in our gut. That bad bacteria causes many problems, including weight gain, which is why it is so critical to take probiotics if you are trying to make sure you are losing weight.
Maintain a healthy weight with Protein
Protein, believe it or not, helps us lose weight. According to many studies, this is due to the fact that meals high in protein are more filling and satiating than those meals primarily composed of fats or carbohydrates. You feel full longer by eating protein, which can actually make you eat less overall.
So, which weight loss supplements are right for me?
If you have a diet that is naturally low in some of these vitamins - or protein genreally - you may want to consider separately boosting those.
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