Are you expecting vitamins to help you get your summer body? If yes, brace yourself for a disappointment. Vitamins alone cannot help with weight loss.
However, some vitamins may help you lose weight if you use them correctly.
Here’s what you’ll learn from this article:
- Can vitamins help you lose weight?
- 7 best vitamins for weight loss.
- What happens when you consume too much.
- Best time to take them.
Spoiler alert: Did you know that excess vitamin intake can contribute to weight gain? We’ll tell you exactly how, and the best approach to using it.
Are Vitamins Effective For Weight Loss?
Vitamins may not have a direct effect on weight loss. However, they can help in other ways, such as boosting your energy, making you sleep better, and reducing your stress. They should never be treated as an only approach or as a replacement for a healthy diet to lose weight.
Many factors come into play when it comes to losing weight. E.g., some people can be overweight because they have a strong genetic component related to obesity. And some people can be overweight because they have a food addiction.
Another example is metabolism. Have you ever seen someone say, “I never gain weight no matter how much I eat?”. This could be because they have a high metabolism, which enables them to burn more calories at a faster rate.
The good news, however, is that you can easily improve your metabolism through external factors like diet and exercise [1]. Some vitamins can also help with this.
Hence, vitamins should not be treated as a promising approach to weight loss. If anything, they should be combined with an effective diet and exercise plan to lose weight.
Vitamins may not help you lose weight if you’re taking them with a high-calorie diet full of simple carbohydrates. You need to make changes to your diet and overall lifestyle habits if you want to see real results.
7 Best Vitamins For Weight Loss
Now that we’ve discussed some important points above, here are seven vitamins that can help enhance your weight loss journey. Don’t forget to combine them with a proper diet and exercise plan, as stated earlier.
1: Omega-3
Omega-3 belongs to a group of good fats known as polyunsaturated fats. Consumption of this vitamin can help reduce your risk of heart disease, and other inflammatory conditions. You can get a healthy dose of omega-3 via foods such as fatty fish, nuts, and seeds [2].
Prolonged and intense exercise can sometimes induce oxidative stress by producing free radicals in the skeletal muscles. This can cause acute fatigue.
One way this vitamin may help with weight loss is by boosting your muscle strength and power. It’s also been found to reduce the time it takes for your muscles to recover after an intense workout session.
Increased muscle strength can help you lose weight by making it easier to be more physically active.
According to emerging research, omega-3 is considered to be an ergogenic supplement that can have a positive impact on muscle strength and recovery during and after exercise.
E.g., one study examined the effect of omega-3 fish oil supplement on age-related muscle loss and impairment in 60 men and women (aged 65-85). Their results showed that those who were in the test group had increased muscle mass and improvement compared to the control group [3].
Omega-3 vitamin might help with weight loss by reducing your hunger. One study examined the effect of this vitamin on appetite in a group of volunteers who were put on a low-calorie diet for eight weeks.
The participants were given either a 260 mg or 1300 mg of omega-3 per day during the last two weeks of the experiment. Their results showed that those in the higher dosage group had reduced hunger and feeling of fullness for up to two hours [4].
Going on a calorie-restricted diet is one of the best approaches to use vitamins for weight loss.
2: B Vitamins
The B vitamins are made up of 8 water-soluble vitamins that play a crucial role in cellular functions and overall health.
Thiamine, for instance, is essential for energy production, mitochondrial activity, and neuronal functioning. Thiamine can only be stored in the body for a limited time, so it has to be replenished regularly via diet.
Some food sources rich in thiamine include brown rice, whole grains, nuts, and peas [5].
The B vitamins have also been found to be useful for weight loss. E.g., one study found that low vitamin B12 had a connection with BMI in obese and overweight participants [6]. A recent animal study found that B vitamin supplementation can help lose body weight by increasing energy metabolism [7].
That said, you need to be careful when using vitamin B for weight loss. Consuming too much of it can contribute to weight gain, especially B3. We’ll discuss more on this shortly.
3: Vitamin D
Vitamin D is crucial for healthy bones, teeth, and immune system. A mere 10-30 minutes of sun exposure per day is all you need to get your daily dose of this vitamin. Science says that vitamin D produced in the skin from sunlight lasts longer in the blood than the ingested version [8].
Vitamin D deficiency is often due to a lack of sun exposure. Another reason is that only a few food sources are packed with it, such as fatty fish and egg yolk. Vitamin D supplement is also a great option.
When it comes to weight loss, some studies have noted that a lower level of vitamin D is associated with higher BMI and body fat.
In one study, 218 overweight and obese women participants were assigned to receive either weight loss + vitamin D capsule or weight loss + placebo. They also underwent a restricted-calorie diet and weekly exercise sessions.
A 12-month results comparison revealed that those who had vitamin D supplementation lost more bodyweight [9]. Another study conducted in 4600, older women found that vitamin D intake was associated with decreased weight gain over 4.5 years [10].
4: Calcium
Over 99% of the calcium in your body is present in your bones and teeth, which explains its importance for healthy bones and teeth. Maintaining an adequate intake of calcium can reduce the risk of fractures and bone-related diseases.
A small percentage of calcium is distributed in the blood for other roles involving nerve transmission, hormonal secretion, and more. Adults lose approximately 200 mg of calcium per day via urine [11].
Women and those with a milk allergy or lactose intolerance are at a higher risk of suffering from calcium deficiency. Thus it’s recommended to take at least 700-1000 mg of calcium per day.
One study investigated the effect of calcium on weight loss in 32 obese adults. The participants were put on four different diets, including standard and high doses of calcium diets, and a high-dairy diet.
Results showed that the patients lost up to 26% more weight on the high calcium diet and 70% more on the high-dairy diet. They also noted a significant fat loss in the belly area.
This shows the potential of using calcium as either in supplement form or via dietary intake for weight loss [12].
5: Iron
Iron plays a crucial role in supplying nutrients and oxygen to your body organs. Iron deficiency can cause symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, and reduced energy level, which can interfere with your physical activity and endurance.
Women and young children are at higher risk of developing iron deficiency. Millions of people suffer from it without knowing they have it.
One way iron deficiency can have an impact on your body weight is by making you feel tired and weak to be more physically active. You may want to exercise but do not have the energy to go for it, and this could also contribute to weight gain.
Some evidence suggests that iron deficiency has a connection with obesity. E.g., in one study, 15 obese children were put on a 6-month weight loss program.
Their results showed improved iron status and absorption in the children after the study, indicating a positive connection between weight loss and iron [13].
In another study, 21 women underwent treatment for iron deficiency. Their results showed a significant reduction in body weight, waist circumference, and BMI after the treatment [14].
6: Magnesium
Magnesium is vital for cellular and organ function. The daily recommended intake for adults is 300-400 mg/day.
Magnesium deficiency can cause a lot of health consequences, such as cardiovascular diseases, fatigue, muscle weakness, mental health problems, and high blood pressure.
Some foods high in magnesium include black beans, almonds, bananas, broccoli, brown rice, nuts, and green vegetables.
You can also take it in supplement form. However, some magnesium supplements can cause adverse effects, such as diarrhea. An alternative will be to use magnesium oil if you wish to avoid the side effects of taking it orally [15].
One way that magnesium may help with weight loss is by reducing insulin resistance. One study investigated the effect of magnesium intake in 2295 normal, overweight, and obese participants.
They found out that high magnesium intake was associated with a significant reduction in insulin resistance, especially in overweight and obese individuals [16].
In another study, 47 metabolically obese and overweight participants received either 382 mg of magnesium or a placebo capsule once a day for four months.
Results showed an improvement in metabolic factors, which are known to be associated with obesity and weight loss [17].
7: Vitamin K
Vitamin K has some excellent health benefits, such as its potential to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases via decalcification. It’s also been found to have some therapeutic properties on conditions such as diabetes, cancer, and osteoarthritis [18].
Some food sources rich in vitamin K include green leafy vegetables, egg yolks, fish, liver, meat, and some plant oils.
Some evidence also suggests that vitamin K may help with weight loss. E.g., in one study, 355 older participants (men and women) were given vitamin K supplements every day for 36 months.
Their results showed that Vitamin K supplementation might help reduce insulin resistance [19].
Insulin resistance is when your body cells are not responding adequately to the insulin hormone. This causes an increase in blood sugar and other consequences, including weight gain and weight loss difficulties.
In another study, 214 menopausal women received 180 mg/day of vitamin K2 or placebo for three years. They found out that vitamin K2 intake may help reduce body weight, especially in the abdominal region [20].
What happens when you take too many vitamins?
Until almost a century ago, vitamins were only obtained from the food eaten. Seasonal changes have also played a part in what type of vitamins are most ingested. E.g., the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetable salads might have been higher in the summer than in the winter.
The use of synthetic vitamins has been increasing year after year since 1930.
Our body is also capable of storing excess vitamins to be used for later. This means if you’re low on vitamin C, it may take several months before you start noticing any symptoms.
Consuming large amounts of vitamins every day doesn’t mean your body is going to use all of it. If anything, it may cause some adverse effects [21].
According to a 2014 research paper, excess vitamin intake can contribute to obesity in ways such as [22]:
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Increase fat synthesis
B vitamins play an essential role in the production of fatty acids from carbohydrates and protein. Consuming all types of B group of vitamins has been found to increase body fat in animal studies.
Excess intake of vitamin B3, for instance, has been found to calorie intake, body weight, and abdominal fat in chicken [23].
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Increase insulin resistance
High glycemic index foods can promote insulin resistance. Processed foods such as white bread and other grain foods have a glycemic index.
These types of food are high in B vitamins, particularly, niacin which can cause insulin resistance and glucose intolerance.
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May disturb brain metabolism
Many neurotransmitters are involved in the regulation of food intake. Some vitamins can disrupt the functioning of certain types of neurotransmitters.
Excess vitamin intake can cause them to compete with the neurotransmitters for detoxification resources. Some types of vitamins such as B3 can also stimulate appetite, so that’s another way it may cause you to gain weight.
Vitamin D toxicity is another example of what could happen when you consume too many vitamins. Some symptoms of vitamin d toxicity include confusion, vomiting, stomach pain, and dehydration [24].
Vitamin D toxicity could occur when someone takes large doses of it for several weeks or months.
What time of the day is best to take vitamins?
It depends on the type of vitamins as some may work better when taken on an empty stomach, and some work better with meals.
That said, fat-soluble vitamins such as A, K, and D are best taken with a high-fat meal.
Water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C and B are best taken on an empty stomach in the morning. You could also take them 30 minutes before or a few hours after your meal.
It depends on the type of vitamins as some may work better when taken on an empty stomach, and some work better with meals.
That said, fat-soluble vitamins such as A, K, and D are best taken with a high-fat meal.
Water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C and B are best taken on an empty stomach in the morning. You could also take them 30 minutes before or a few hours after your meal.
Takeaways
- Some vitamins, such as the ones we’re discussed in this article can help with weight loss if you use them the right way.
- These supplements should never be your only strategy to lose weight, and they should never be treated as a replacement for foods that have them.
- Taking excess vitamins might backfire and cause you to gain weight, especially the B vitamins. Also, remember that the food you eat will already contain some of the vitamins you’re taking. E.g., if your diet consists of a lot of dairy products like eggs and cheese, you’ll already be consuming a healthy dose of vitamin D.
- You cannot eat a high-calorie diet filled with refined carbohydrates and sugar and expect to lose weight just because you’re taking supplements. That’s not how it works. You still have to make some lifestyle changes and cut down on unhealthy foods. Being more physically active will also yield better results.
- Some vitamins may interfere with certain types of medications, and some vitamins should not be taken together. It’s best to consult your doctor for advice on what vitamins to take and how to take them, especially if you have any serious health conditions.
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