Most Americans who try to eat healthy are still ending up with low amounts of important vitamins and minerals. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can bring on a whole host of health problems, and one of them is weight gain.
Unwanted Weight Gain
Research has shown that people with the least amount of essential nutrients end up with the most weight problems and the highest body mass index (BMI). There are three primary reasons for this unintentional weight gain:
1. Food Cravings – When levels of essential nutrients are low, it causes the brain’s appetite center to trigger the body to have serious cravings and a raging appetite. When the receptors in the appetite center of the brain realize nutrients like iron, B-vitamins, and vitamin D are low it turns on and causes us to eat more. These cravings are often extreme and cause irresistible attractions to high calorie foods that will cause weight gain.
2. Slow Metabolism – Low levels of nutrients can cause your metabolism to slow down. Essential nutrients play a role in many major health functions, such as: building bone and muscle tissue, producing energy for the body, burning up fat and sugars, and keeping emotions regulated. Not getting your vitamins and minerals will inhibit the normal metabolism process and lead to inevitable weight gain.
3. Fighting Fatigue – The lack of nutrients will impede the production of energy for the body and put a limit on physical activity. Whether it’s completing chores around the house, or hitting the gym, you need energy to get up and go. The lack of energy will lead to less physical activity, which means less calories burned and eventual weight gain.
Vitamin D Has a Clear Link
Findings from a 2011 study that was published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism revealed that children whose levels of vitamin D were low turned out to be more likely to end up overweight. They tended to have a higher body mass index in comparison to children whose levels of vitamin D were adequate or better. A deficiency in vitamin D is believed to interrupt the communication of hormones that signal the brain when you are full and could lead to overeating.
Symptoms of Vitamin Deficiency
Vitamin deficiency has a variety of symptoms that manifest themselves in the body, including:
· Weakness
· Extreme Fatigue
· Depression
· Poor Sleep
· Diarrhea
· Anemia
· Bleeding Gums
· Softening of Bones
· Mental Confusion
· Impaired Vision
Other Health Problems
· Stroke
· Fatigue
· Depression
· High Blood Pressure
· Heart Disease
· Osteoporosis
· Dementia
· Cancer
Bottom line – make sure to get your Vitamin D. And while our bodies produce it when we absorb the sun’s rays, for most of us, particularly because it is winter, the only way to get adequate Vitamin D is to take a high quality Vitamin D supplement. The good news: Vitamin D is one of the least expensive supplements out there!
-The Alternative Daily
Sources:
http://butternutrition.com/hypothyroidism-weight-gain-vitamin-a
http://www.livestrong.com/article/461353-does-a-vitamin-deficiency-cause-weight-gain
http://drtague.com/3-ways-vitamin-deficiencies-cause-weight-gain