Vitamins for Weight Loss

Proper Weight Loss Requires Specific Vitamins

Weight loss and vitamins are tightly connected. In order for your body to be free to shed unwanted fat, it has to be in an optimal state; otherwise you will be more susceptible to losing muscle, not fat.  

Vitamins are important for you body to develop normally. There are 13 vitamins you need in order for proper function: A, C, D, E, K, and the B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and foliate).

The Best Vitamins for Weight Loss

The most important vitamins for weight loss are B vitamins and Vitamin C, they are the chief vitamins responsible for proper thyroid and metabolic function. The thyroid is responsible for regulating hormone production. If your hormones are out of whack, you body tends to store fat as a defense mechanism. If your metabolic function is off, your body will not process calories properly, and this usually doesn’t end well.

• Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): Assists in promoting normal thyroid function and overall metabolism. Good food sources: Milk, liver, almonds, hard cheese, eggs, wheat germ, leafy green vegetables.

• Vitamin B3 (Niacin): Essential for normal thyroid hormone production. Vitamin B3 is also part of the glucose tolerance factor (GTF) which is released every time blood sugar rises. Good food sources include: Wheat bran, liver, tuna, turkey, chicken, meat, eggs, mackerel, salmon, oats, barley, cheese, dried fruit, and brown rice.

• Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid): A deficiency in Vitamin B5 limits the bodies capacity to utilize fat efficiently. In addition, it is super important in energy production and assists in adrenal function. Good food sources of Vitamin B5 include: liver and kidney, meat, poultry, nuts, wheat bran, wheat germ, eggs, molasses, oats, barley, beans, wholegrain bread, green vegetables.

• Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): Helps regulate the production of the thyroid hormone and aids in overall metabolism. Good food sources of Vitamin B6: wheat bran, wheat germ, oats, sardines, mackerel, poultry, beef, avocado, bananas, brown rice, cabbage, dried fruit, molasses, eggs.

• Choline: Included in the Vitamin B complex. However choline is not a real vitamin; it is made in the liver. Choline is vital for efficient fat metabolism. Without choline, fats become trapped in the liver and are unable to be processed. Good sources of choline include: lecithin, egg yolks, wheat germ, cauliflower, cucumber, peanuts.

• Inositol: Also a member of the vitamin B complex and manufactured inside the body. Inositol combines with choline to assist in fat metabolism. Good sources of inositol include: lecithin, beef heart, beef liver, wheat germ, soy, eggs, citrus fruits, whole grains, and nuts.

• Vitamin C: Among Vitamin C’s surplus of health benefits is its function in the proper conversion of glucose to energy with in the cells. Good food sources of vitamin C include: blackcurrants, broccoli, green peppers, kiwi fruits, brussel sprouts, lemons, citrus, strawberries, and cabbage.

While it would be ideal to get all your vitamin needs from food sources, it is not always practical. With the amount of processing foods go through they end up having to be ‘fortified’ with vitamins (important vitamins that were naturally in the food are removed when processing and synthetically added back into the product). Also, because of the destruction to the soil, most vegetables and farmed foods do not have the vitamin content they should. This deficiency is passed on to the animals who graze on them, and as a result, our meats are lower in vitamin’s too.

However, when you take vitamin supplements to help with weight loss and overall health, make sure to take them with food! SupplementsToGo.com has the best names in the vitamin business at prices that won’t break the bank. Save money, get what you want and reach your goals!