Multivitamins, Weight Loss Link Studied
Supplements of multivitamins and minerals may help reduce body weight and improve blood fat levels.
In a recent study*, obese women ages 18-55 women were randomly assigned to one of three groups. One received a multivitamin and mineral supplement, the second received a calcium supplement, and the third received an identical placebo.
After six months, women in the multivitamin and mineral group had significantly lower body weight, body mass index, and fat mass than the others. Levels of total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol were also significantly reduced, while HDL (good) cholesterol levels increased.
The calcium group only experienced cholesterol improvements, with HDL levels increasing and LDL decreasing, compared with the placebo group.
While obesity rates have skyrocketed in the US in recent years – from 15 per cent of the population in1980 to 34 per cent today, the foods we are eating have less nutrition than ever. Soil depletion, over processing, artificial ingredients and improper cooking methods (such as frying) all lead to more calories but fewer nutrients consumed on a daily basis. It's possible that restoring vitamins and minerals in our bodies, even through supplementation, may just curb the need to keep eating in a search to find our nutrients in food sources that provide less and less of them.
* International Journal of Obesity
Published online ahead of print, doi:10.1038/ijo.2010.14
"Effects of multivitamin and mineral supplementation on adiposity, energy expenditure and lipid profiles in obese Chinese women"
