It’s that time of year again where millions vow to get in shape and lose that “holiday weight”. But for many this struggle is yearlong. If you feel like you are in an endless loop of diets and exercise programs with nothing to show for it except a huge dent in your bank account, you may want to take a closer look at what’s causing you to not lose weight.

Vitamins and minerals aren’t just meant for protecting you against the cold and flu. They also help keep your body balanced and fight weight gain. There’s a complex relationship between how much you weigh and your vitamin and mineral status. Falling short on crucial vitamins and minerals could contribute to weight gain or make it more difficult to trim down.

Balancing Energy

When the body is in an optimal state, the amount of energy you take in is carefully balanced with the amount you burn for fuel. Various hormones handle processes such as stimulating appetite, breaking down food into usable components, shuttling sugar from the blood into cells, and storing energy for future use.

A lot is involved for these processes to work smoothly. Certain vitamins and minerals serve as vital components that facilitate energy balance. Unfortunately, compared to normal-weight adults, people who are overweight or obese tend to have lower intakes of crucial vitamins and minerals and are more commonly found to have one or more vitamin deficiencies. Not only can replenishing your vitamins improve weight management in those who are deficient, it can boost your energy and help you feel better.

Nutrients and Weight Balance

Of the many vitamins and minerals involved in energy balance, a few key micronutrients are commonly found to be deficient in the general population, particularly vitamin D, iron, and calcium.

Iron

Iron plays a role in metabolism, which affects the number of calories you burn. It’s also necessary to produce hemoglobin, a substance that transports oxygen in red blood cells. An iron deficiency may cause fatigue and reduce the body’s ability to burn calories. A lower serum iron concentration is not only strongly linked to obesity, but correcting iron deficiency boosts weight loss, and improves blood pressure and other metabolic markers.

Vitamin D and Calcium

Despite its name, vitamin D acts more like a hormone in the body. This hormone-like vitamin is necessary to absorb calcium and promote bone growth, and is also linked to weight balance. Scientists haven’t completely sorted out the connection, however, they have linked vitamin D deficiency to overweight and obesity, which makes it important to have your levels checked.
Along with vitamin D, calcium is necessary to keep your bones strong. It also has a beneficial effect on weight balance. Supplementing calcium along with vitamin D in women who normally have a low intake enhances weight loss when following a weight loss diet. It also improves HDL, a good form of cholesterol.

Other Ways Nutrient Deficiencies Impact Weight

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can cause cravings and lead to fatigue, making it harder to stay active and making you less likely to get enough physical activity to help balance your weight. Deficiencies may also interfere with having an optimal metabolism, so you may burn far fewer calories over the course of a day than you would if you had sufficient vitamin and mineral status.