If you have been yo-yo dieting for a number of years, either restricting your food intake or trying different diet drinks or pills, it is likely that you are deficient in a number of vitamins and minerals. Supplements could certainly help if you know you're been depriving yourself for a long time. You may want to find out if you are deficient and there are tests now available to do just that. Click Tests

Multivitamin and Mineral

A good quality multivitamin and mineral would form the foundation of your supplement programme to make sure that you are getting a 'little bit of everything'. You then add in the nutrients listed below in slightly higher amounts which are known to be helpful for the weight loss.

B vitamins

These are important vitamins in terms of weight loss, and they are often known as the 'stress' vitamins. Vitamins B3 and B6 are especially important because they help to supply fuel to cells, which are then able to burn energy. Vitamin B6 together with zinc is necessary for the production of pancreatic enzymes which help you to digest food. If your digestion is good, you will be much more likely to use your food efficiently, instead of storing it as fat.

Vitamins B2, B3 and B6 are necessary for normal thyroid hormone function production, so any deficiencies in these can affect thyroid function and consequently affect metabolism. B3 is also a component of the glucose tolerance factor which is released every time your blood sugar rises. Vitamin B5 is involved in energy production and helps to control fat metabolism.

As you can see, the B vitamins as a group are important and the best way to get them is in a good B-complex supplement.

Chromium

This mineral has been the most widely researched nutrient in relation to weight loss Chromium is needed for the metabolism of sugar and without it insulin is less effective in controlling blood sugar levels. This means that it is harder to burn off your food as fuel and more may be stored as fat. It also helps to control levels of fat and cholesterol in the blood. One study showed that people who took chromium over a ten-week period lost an average of 1.9kg (4.2lb) of fat while those who took a dummy tablet lost only 0.2kg (0.4lb).

Zinc

This is an important mineral in appetite control and a deficiency can cause a loss of taste and smell, creating a need for stronger tasting foods (which tend to be sweeter, saltier and more fattening!) Zinc also functions with vitamins A and E to manufacture the thyroid hormones.

Co-enzyme Q10

Co-enzyme Q10 is needed for energy production. It is found in all the tissues and organs in the body. As we get older we may become deficient, which results in a reduction of energy. It has been used to help heart problems, high blood pressure, gum disease and immune deficiencies.

It has also been shown to help with weight loss. A study showed that people on a low-fat diet doubled their weight loss when taking Co Q10 compared to those using diet alone.

Garcinia cambogia

A tropical fruit called Garcinia cambogia which is used in Thai and Indian cooking contains HCA (hydroxy-citric acid), which encourages your body to use carbohydrates as energy, rather than laying them down as fat. The HCA in this fruit seems to curb appetite, reduce food intake and inhibit the formation of fat and cholesterol.

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