Most weight loss programs neglect our metabolism-boosting nutrients
The weight loss industry constantly neglects the importance of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) in favor of focusing on macronutrients (proteins, fats, and carbs) and calories. This is a big mistake.
In this article, we’re going to focus on some of the most important nutrients in the body for human metabolism. If we’re depleted in micronutrients, it won’t matter how perfect the macronutrients are. That’s why it's so important to combine the proper macronutrient balance with the right micronutrient balance.
Think about what fat loss is exactly. We’re burning fat for energy. If anything is impeding our body’s energy production process, we can’t burn fat. Our energy production takes place in what’s called the mitochondria of the cell. The mitochondria are the energy-producing parts of the cell, and they must be running efficiently in order for your body to burn food for energy. Minerals and other micronutrients are like the "spark plugs" that stimulate our energy-producing process.
As it turns out, most diseases, including obesity, are actually rooted in defects of the mitochondria.
Let’s explore the key nutrients that keep our energy-producing mitochondria working properly:
Chromium: chromium is the mineral that pushes glucose into the cell in order to be used for energy. It's also involved in the synthesis and secretion of insulin from the pancreas. Super important for blood glucose regulation and insulin sensitivity.
Magnesium: magnesium is responsible for over 300 reactions in the body, most notable as a cofactor for our energy. This means it's directly responsible for energy production. Without enough magnesium, energy production slows. It's one of the first minerals to get depleted because we use it up during times of stress.
Copper: copper is the mineral that regulates iron. If copper is depleted or not bioavailable in the body, your iron can become dysregulated. This may appear as low iron in the blood, but in reality could be an issue with bioavailable copper. Unbeknownst to most, iron can get “stuck” in the tissues and cause oxidative stress. It can also make you feel tired, because if the iron-recycling system isn’t working properly, you can’t carry enough oxygen throughout the body. Lots of things deplete copper including conventional farming methods, food refining or processing, high fructose corn syrup, and glyphosate (a common pesticide used heavily in certain grains and other crops).
Potassium: Important for maintaining proper fluid balance, potassium also plays a role in nerve impulse transmission and muscle contraction.
Sodium: Works in conjunction with potassium to regulate fluid balance and is critical for nerve function and muscle contraction.
Our sodium/potassium balance might not impact our fat burning directly, but an electrolyte imbalance will lead to fatigue, low energy, and that will for sure impede your efforts to lose weight, especially if you’re on a workout routine. 9 out of the 10 clients that come to see me are constantly tired and low energy. What good is weight loss if you struggle through your days while feeling lethargic?
Selenium: Critical for healthy thyroid function, selenium supports the process of converting T4 to T3. T3 is the active form of thyroid hormone, meaning that’s the one doing all the work.
Iodine: Also essential to the thyroid hormone because thyroid hormones are made up of iodine molecules.
Retinol (Vitamin A): The thyroid gland needs lots of retinol to function well. Don’t mistake the vitamin A found in plant foods as the same as vitamin A in animal foods– they are completely different. Retinol is only found in fatty animal foods and is the most bioavailable form to our bodies. You would have to eat a couple pounds of carrots a day to get enough retinol if you’re relying on plant sources of vitamin A.
Can I just take a multivitamin?
Before you think about jumping for a multivitamin to “cover all the bases”, think again. Most of the formulas don’t match the ratios of vitamins and minerals that are found in nature. This can cause imbalances in the body. I have a lot of clients who come to me who are over supplementing, and they have some weird symptoms (that stop once they stop the formulas).
A good example is over supplementing with vitamin D. Did you know that vitamin D is actually a hormone? And you surely wouldn’t want to over supplement on hormones. If you over supplement with vitamin D, you can deplete your vitamin A and potassium in the process. I’ve just discussed how important those nutrients are, so you can imagine what sort of problems might occur.
Textbooks are written on all of the amazing and incredibly complex functions of vitamins and minerals, and it’s not your job to have each of them memorized. But what I’m trying to demonstrate to you is how critical and important these nutrients are to our metabolism, and how ignoring them in favor of calories can sabotage your health (and most likely your weight loss, too).
Conclusion
Bottom line: get your nutrients from food and fill in the gaps where needed. Supplements are just that– supplements. They serve very important purposes and I use them all the time in practice. But you have to carefully select the ones you need and only when food can’t solve the problem.
0 Comments