Looking for some effective vitamin & supplements solutions for your effective weight loss strategy? If it is so, then you are at the right place.
But you would agree with me that weight loss supplements get a bad rap. And, especially, when it comes to synthetic blends of useless minerals that won’t do more than to help you shed water weight for a brief slim down—well, they rightly deserve the bad name.
But that’s not always the case…
There are certain vitamins, minerals, and nutrient concentrations found in nature that when coupled with a healthy diet and workout regimen, do have the ability to revive your metabolism and help your body process macronutrients more efficiently – a process which is at the heart of weight loss & fat burning.
Today we are going to talk about these science-backed fat-burning supplements and vitamins but again in some cases, there isn’t a lot of science to back up the claims, and some have health risks.
But yet they do have some proven anecdotal success that you can bank on but still you need to talk with your doctor first before you try any.
Disclaimer: *Always talk to your doctor if you’re unsure whether a supplement is right for you.
Best vitamins & supplements for weight loss
There are many different fat-burning solutions out there. This includes all sorts of pills, drugs, and natural supplements.
These are claimed to help you lose weight, or at least make it easier to lose weight combined with other methods.
Whatever the method is they tend to work via one or more of these mechanisms:
- Reduce appetite, making you feel more full so that you eat fewer calories
- Reduce absorption of nutrients like fat, making you take in fewer calories
- Increase fat burning, making you burn more calories
The following are some of the best vitamins & supplements for
The following are some of the best vitamins & supplements for weight loss. Read and test out what works best for you.
A) Best vitamins for weight loss
The following are some of the best Vitamins for fast weight loss and shed those extra layers of fat.
1. Vitamin A for weight loss
Vitamin A helps keep your metabolism for weight loss in good shape. Make sure you get the recommended daily value (DV), which is 700 micrograms for women and 900 micrograms for men.
Vitamin A-rich foods
- Cooked 6-ounce fillet of tuna (143 percent DV)
- One cup cooked butternut squash (127 percent DV)
- Medium-sized baked sweet potato (122 percent DV)
- One cup cooked spinach (105 percent D
2. Vitamin D for weight loss
Researcher theorizes that vitamin D may play a role in regulating fat mass, which could contribute to weight gain and obesity, according to a March 2012 review study published in the International Journal of Obesity.
The Daily recommended dose of vitamin D is 600 international units (IU) for those ages 1 to 70, and 800 IUs for those older than 70, according to the Mayo Clinic
Vitamins-D rich vitamins foods
- Cooked 6-ounce fillet of salmon (142 percent DV)
- 16-ounce glass fortified whole milk (32 percent DV)
- One cup fortified tofu (28 percent DV)
- Hard-boiled egg (6 percent DV)
3. Vitamin C for weight loss
Numerous studies like this one in Nutrition Journal have found vitamin C to be very helpful in working out thus powering you to lose weight by working hard at the gym.
The recommended dose for adults is 65 to 90 milligrams of vitamin C each day, according to the Mayo Clinic, with upper limit going up to 2,000 milligrams.
Best dietary sources for vitamin c
- Kiwifruit (185 percent DV)
- Strawberries (108 percent DV)
- Oranges (106 percent DV)
- Broccoli (90 percent DV)
- Tomatoes (61 percent DV)
4. Vitamin B for weight loss
B vitamins make up a group of 8 water-soluble vitamins that play an important role in metabolizing food into energy, reports the Office of Dietary Supplements.
Vitamin B rich foods
They’re found in a variety of foods, according to MyFoodData.com, including:
- 6-ounce pork chop (96 percent DV of B1)
- One cup fortified tofu (76 percent DV of B2)
- 6-ounce cooked fillet yellowfin tuna (234 percent DV of B3)
- One cup cooked shiitake mushrooms (104 percent DV of B5)
- 6-ounce cooked fillet of wild salmon (94 percent DV of B6)
5. Chromium for weight loss
This trace mineral is essential for our body to be able to metabolize macronutrients in a proper way.
Essentially, chromium powers you body insulin to metabolize fat, turn protein into muscle, and convert more sugar reserves into energy while at the same time, playing a key role in regulating appetite, reducing sugar cravings, and increasing lean body mass.
This is not the only benefit: Not only is the element necessary for weight control, but you consume most of your stores during hard exercise, so it’s even more important for active fitness guys to keep replenished.
B) Best supplements for weight loss
The following are some of the best fat burning supplements that you need to try for your effective weight loss strategy.
1. Whey protein for weight loss
While It’s no secret that protein is a gym nerd’s best friend. But it actually does more than just developing those sexy muscles—a 2014 meta-analysis in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that people shed almost up to 10 pounds after regularly incorporating whey protein into their diet.
And this is just one benefit: the milk derivative actually outperforms other protein sources in other ways as well: Obese individuals who drank one whey protein shake a day lost more weight than those who drank a soy protein shake, as per a study in the Journal of Nutrition.
How it actually works?
It works in a few ways: Whey protein actually suppresses your appetite, therefore helping you eat less, but it’s also aids in building muscle, says Franci Cohen, certified nutritionist, and founder of Fuel Fitness in Brooklyn. “Muscle has a higher metabolic rate than fat, so every pound of fat you replace with your muscle, in turn, increases your metabolism rate and fat-burning abilities a bit more,” she explains.
2. Caffeine (methylxanthine) for weight loss
Several studies have found caffeine to help promote fat oxidation—or your body’s ability to break down large fat molecules to use as energy—as well as both weight and fat loss in more active people.
While most of its health benefits come from its antioxidants, caffeine helps you lose fat by stimulating your central nervous system. This causes the release of several molecules and nutrients in your body, including stored fat to be burned down for energy and calcium to help muscle contraction.
Moreover, it can help you out to work out harder: In a study in the Journal of Applied Physiology people who ingested caffeine before a workout actually burned more calories during, ate less calories after, and even enjoyed their gym time more than as compared to when they hit the weights without the kick. \
But there is a catch: cap your daily intake at 400 mg—too much of a jolt can increase anxiety levels, your risk of cardiovascular complication, and insulin sensitivity which can actually lead to gain weight.
3. Green tea extract for weight loss
Green tea extract can increase fat oxidation and even stimulate brown adipose tissue thermogenesis—a special group of fat cells that can actually help speed up your metabolism, which is actually required for anyone looking to lose body fat.
Its amazing fat-burning powers lies is in the plant’s phytochemicals, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (ECGC), which a study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found, at low doses, can enhance your fat oxidation by 33 percent.
So it is always advised to look for a supplement with 50% EGCG and 90% polyphenols for the best burn.
4. Glutamine for weight loss
It is the most abundant amino acid naturally produced by your body, glutamine, is found in the most abundant amounts in your muscles, helping repair them and maintain a healthy gut, and stabilize your blood sugar.
A study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that without making any changes in their diets at all, people consuming it lost weight after taking glutamine supplements for four weeks.
The most possible reason, according to this research was because it helped boost glucose metabolism.
5. Chitosan for weight loss
Essentially a fiber, commonly called “shark cartilage,” comes from the exoskeletons of insects and crustaceans.
However, Research is mixed, but a large study analysis in the Journal of Obesity found that when people consumed chitosan twice a day with food, they witnessed significant lower BMIs, body fat as well as less bloating and flatulence than people who were given a placebo.
With that being said, it doesn’t have magical fat-burning abilities, but, since it’s a type of dietary fiber, it can actually help keep you full longer, which in turn leading to eating less.
A NOTE OF CAUTION: Always take this supplement at a different time than you do the others (for instance, if you take the others in the AM, take this one in the afternoon or vice versa.). Chitosan may actually bind the other nutrients and cause a lower absorption rate.
6. Hydroxycut for weight loss
Hydroxycut has been known for more than a decade now and is currently one of the most popular known weight loss supplements in the world.
There are several different types of it, but the most common one is simply called “Hydroxycut.”
How it actually works?
Essentially, it contains several ingredients that are known to help with weight loss, including caffeine and a few plant extracts.
Effectiveness: One study showed that it caused 21 lbs (9.5 kg) of weight loss over a 3 month period.
Side effects: Please note, if you are caffeine sensitive, you may experience anxiety, jitteriness, tremors, nausea, diarrhea, and irritability.
7. Meratrim for weight loss
Meratrim is a quite a new kid on the weight loss diet pill market.
But what exactly it is: It is a combination of two plant extracts that may change the metabolism of fat cells.
How it actually works?
It is claimed to make it nearly impossible for fat cells to multiply, decrease the amount of fat that they receive from the bloodstream, and help them burn stored fat reserves.
Effectiveness: Uptill now, only one study has been done on Meratrim. A total of 100 overweight people were placed on a strict 2000 calorie diet, with either Meratrim or a dummy pill as a placebo.
The results: After 8 weeks, the Meratrim consuming group had lost almost 11 pounds (5.2 kg) of weight and 4.7 inches (11.9 cm) off their waistlines. Moreover, they also had improved quality of life and reduced blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides.
Side effects: No side effects have been reported yet.
11. Forskolin for weight loss
Forskolin, essentially, an extract from a plant in the mint family, claimed to be effective for burning fat and lose weight fast.
How it actually works?: It is believed to raise levels of a compound inside cells called cAMP, which may stimulate fat burning.
Effectiveness: One study in 30 overweight and obese men found that forskolin reduced body fat and increased muscle mass while having a minimal-to-nothing effect on body weight. Another study in 23 overweight women found no actual effects.
Side effects: There is still very limited data on the safety of this supplement or the risk of side effects.
