Vitamins, Minerals and Weight Loss
In the struggle to lose weight, often we neglect our daily
intake of vitamins and minerals, as we are cutting down on our
caloric intake. This is a definite dieting mistake, and can even
contribute to weight loss failure.
There are certain vitamins and mineral that are essential to the
ways in which we convert food to energy, rather than into fat.
Our bodies run much more efficiently when we are consuming the
recommended daily levels of vitamins and minerals.
The Vitamin B complex is an important part of dieting. These
vitamins play an important role in metabolizing food, and thus
contribute to physical energy, as well as the rate at which
calories are burned. Vitamin B6 partners with zinc to influence
the quality of the digestion of food. When food is properly
digested, it is used more efficiently and less likely to end up
as stored fat. Vitamin B2, B3 and B6 are associated with the
function of the thyroid gland. Deficiencies can affect the way
this gland works. A symptom of a disruption in thyroid function
is a disruption of the body's metabolism, which helps to
determine the rate at which calories are burned off.
Zinc is one of many minerals that can affect the success of a
diet. This mineral can affect the way that foods taste, and also
has a role in appetite control. Zinc also partners with Vitamin
A and Vitamin E to produce thyroid hormones.
Another important aspect concerning dieting and nutrition has to
do with the ways that nutrition affects mood. Dieting can be
emotionally stressful, and deficiencies in certain vitamins and
minerals can contribute to depression. For many people with
weight problems, food serves as a means of self-medicating
during times of stress and depression. Therefore, allowing
deficiencies of vitamins and minerals that can contribute to
mood disorders or depression puts the weight loss efforts in
grave danger of failure.
It is nearly impossible to overstate the value of the Vitamin B
complex in overall mental health and functioning. Deficiencies
in the vitamins that make up the B complex can result in
numerous mental symptoms, including confusion, anxiety,
depression, dementia, paranoia, and can even contribute to the
development of psychosis. Furthermore, deficiencies in the
Vitamin B complex can bring about insomnia, which can make any
one of those symptoms much worse.
Vitamin C is another vitamin that is important to mood and the
general feeling of well being. A little investigation will
uncover several vitamins and minerals that serve to positively
affect mood, especially through their role in the production of
serotonin and dopamine, and the maintaining of chemical balance
within the brain. Because all aspects of mood are related to the
levels of various chemicals in the brain, which are in turn
influenced by the nutrients we consume, avoiding deficiencies is
particularly important during times in which we may be
especially vulnerable to our moods or to stress.
Nutrition is especially important to the success of any weight
loss diet. Dietary supplements, taken according to accepted
dosages, can be an excellent way to maintain nutrient levels
while reducing caloric intake.