When creating a weight loss diet, the goal is to reduce fat, which means reducing the volume of fat cells, rather than losing muscle mass or weight due to fluid loss. In recent years, numerous diet-related studies have focused on the subject of how to “burn fat” more successfully through diet and exercise. Several dietary supplements have been shown in studies to help in weight loss, either by improving the digestion of fat and preventing its accumulation in the body, or by promoting satiety.
Factors influencing the tendency to become obese.
Fats account for around half of the calories we “burn” each day. However, there are genetic variances in the amount of fat burned by individuals, so even if two people consume the same amount of calories, one may burn more fat while the other burns more carbohydrates.
One of the most important reasons contributing to obesity is the tendency to burn less fat. Several factors influence the genetic efficiency of fat burning, some of which remain unclear. One of the elements found and intensively studied is the hormone leptin, which plays a significant role in controlling fat burning in the body, and it turns out that its production and emission vary from person to person.
How can we change the genetic predisposition to obesity?
Despite the central role of genetics in the tendency to become obese, it has been discovered that it is still possible to influence and optimize the rate of “fat burning” in weight loss diets, primarily through a combination of proper eating, which includes carbohydrates, proteins, and vegetables at each meal and limits fat consumption, with physical activity performed at least three times a week. As previously stated, various nutritional supplements can inhibit fat accumulation in the body or induce satiety, both of which contribute to weight loss.
Dietary substances that can help you lose weight
L-carnitine
L-carnitine is an amino acid generated in our bodies that regulates the “mobilization of fats” from storage reserves in the liver and muscles to the mitochondria in cells, where energy is produced. The acid aids the body in producing energy from fatty tissue, hence lowering fat storage. It also enhances muscle energy generation. According to researchers, an L-carnitine shortage is most likely one of the causes of the obesity epidemic in Western countries.
Chromium Picolinate.
Many studies have indicated that the supplement chromium picolinate promotes the formation of muscle tissue, which is our body’s lean tissue, while also contributing to the reduction of fat tissue, so aiding in weight loss. Furthermore, chromium helps balance blood sugar levels and contributes to maintaining steady sugar levels, hence minimizing “hunger attacks”. However, opinions remain varied about the supplement’s impact on the structure of human tissues.
However, the effect of chromium on each individual is determined by the initial state of the chromium reserve in the body, the amount consumed in the daily diet, the supplement’s composition, and the period of its intake.
Vitamin B6
The production of proteins requires normal levels of vitamin B6. Accelerated muscle breakdown can occur in people on an unbalanced low-fat diet, especially when it is combined with strenuous sports activity – an unfavorable outcome of a weight loss diet because the bigger the muscle mass, the lower the calorie burning at rest. The increased breakdown of muscle proteins causes greater use of vitamin B6, which may result in a deficit. Vitamin B6 is also essential for the creation of serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with mood, and a lack of it can lead to depression.
Vitamin B 12
Vitamin B12 insufficiency is also prevalent in persons who follow a weight-loss regimen, particularly if the diet is low in animal-based products, which are the only source of vitamin B12.
Studies show that iron insufficiency is more common in women for two reasons:
Increased menstrual bleeding leads to the loss of red blood cells and iron.
Weight-loss diets
When there is an iron deficit, the body is unable to manufacture enough red blood cells to supply all of the body’s oxygen needs, resulting in a characteristic anemia known as “microcytic hypochromic anemia”. Deficiency symptoms include headaches, irritability, and poor cognitive function.
Dietary Fiber
Dietary fiber is not considered an essential nutrient, because it contains no significant caloric value. Nonetheless, eating it helps you lose weight and keep your health. Dietary fiber is a polysaccharide, which are molecules made up of numerous sugar units. Fiber is obtained from fruits and vegetables, plants, seeds, and grains, and fiber supplements are available in capsules and powders.
Unlike other plant-based food components, our digestive enzymes do not break down dietary fiber, and it also passes through the large intestine intact without being absorbed by the body. Because dietary fiber can absorb significant amounts of liquid, it increases the volume of food in the stomach and induces a sense of fullness more rapidly, encouraging the ingestion of fewer calories. Fiber also inhibits the absorption of carbs from diet, so regulating blood sugar levels. They also bind bile acids, as do medications used to treat high cholesterol, lowering “bad cholesterol” levels in the bloodstream.
Those who follow a weight-loss diet, particularly if it is extreme or restricts their food choices (such as a protein diet or juice diet), may suffer a range of nutritional deficiencies. Even if these deficiencies do not become apparent in the first few weeks of the diet, they can disrupt different biological systems and impair mood and cognitive function. As a result, it is critical to address the deficiency early in the diet.
Source: The Complete Israeli Guide to Dietary Supplements, by Dr. Udi Barr and Yaffe Shir-Raz, Keter Publishing, 2008.
