MULTIVITAMINS FOR WEIGHT LOSS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
The decision to lose weight often revolves around a plan to cut calories and increase energy expenditure through exercise, but it’s important not to overlook the nutritional quality of your diet. Adding a multivitamin can be a helpful tool in ensuring that you’re getting enough of the essential vitamins and minerals to support your wellness goals.
Which multivitamin is best for weight loss? Well, it depends. Let’s explore why multivitamins are important during weight loss, how to select the best one for your needs, and what to keep in mind if you’re using GLP-1s or weight loss surgery to reach your goals.
COMMON NUTRITIONAL GAPS DURING WEIGHT LOSS
Calorie restriction is one of the most common strategies when you set off to pursue a weight loss goal. And while it’s effective, reducing your calorie intake can have unintended consequences, like an increased risk for nutritional gaps.
Cutting back on your total calorie intake, or not including enough nutrient-rich foods in your diet (which is common among people living with obesity), may inadvertently limit your intake of certain essential vitamins and minerals. (1)(2)
Some of the most common nutrient gaps that may result during weight loss include:
- Vitamin D, which supports healthy mood regulation, immune function, and bone health
- B vitamins (such as B12 and folate), which are involved in energy production and metabolism
- Iron, which is necessary for transporting oxygen throughout your body and preventing tiredness
- Calcium is needed for healthy bones, teeth, nerves, and muscles
- Magnesium is involved in countless functions involved in your mood, energy levels, sleep, and blood sugar regulation
Over time, not getting enough of these nutrients can impact your health and wellness more noticeably. That’s why it’s important to ensure you’re getting a wide array of nutrients from the foods in your diet and consider adding a multivitamin with minerals where appropriate.
HOW A MULTIVITAMIN CAN HELP
Adding a multivitamin to your diet can help fill in certain micronutrient gaps that may be present when you reduce the number of calories, and therefore nutrients, you are eating to lose weight. Multivitamins can also provide nutrients that help support energy levels, metabolism, and immune function which may be impacted by a calorie-restricted diet.
Not to mention, multivitamins are simple and convenient to add to your daily routine. Be sure to make them a regular morning or evening habit to reap the most benefits.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT MULTIVITAMIN FOR YOU
When you’re considering adding a multivitamin with minerals to your weight loss plan, it’s important to keep certain factors in mind to ensure that the one you choose aligns with your needs and preferences. Below are some of the things we recommend taking into consideration when perusing your options.
Specific Needs
Rather than choosing any generic multivitamin off the shelf, look for one that has been specifically formulated for your needs. There are plenty of multivitamins designed for different sexes, age groups, diet patterns, and activity levels.
For example, if you’re a 55-year-old man with Celiac, you might choose the gluten-free GNC Mega Men® 50 Plus Multivitamin — rather than a multivitamin designed for teenagers or women that don’t meet your needs.
In general, multivitamins for women will often contain more iron, calcium, vitamin D, folate, and magnesium than a men’s multivitamin. However, postmenopausal women’s multivitamins will have less iron but perhaps more calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin K to support bone health. (3) Multivitamins for men may include nutrients designed to support prostate health like saw palmetto, zinc, selenium, and lycopene. (4) You may find more antioxidants, like vitamins C and E, in multis designed for older adults.
Nutritional Makeup
It’s always a good idea to take a look at the nutritional profile of the multivitamins you’re comparing to make sure they can provide what you need. When weight loss is your goal, your multivitamins should include nutrients that may be at a higher risk of falling short in your diet.
If you’re considering weight loss surgery or have recently undergone a bariatric procedure, your multivitamin should be specifically designed to meet post-operative needs. As weight loss surgery can reduce food intake and alter digestion, a multivitamin should include higher doses of key nutrients like iron, calcium, vitamin D, and B vitamins. (5)
Form
Gone are the days when chewable vitamins were only for kids and adults were stuck with flavorless capsules to swallow whole (unless that’s what you prefer!). Today, adults can also choose from fruit-flavored chewable or gummy multivitamins — or you might prefer a multivitamin powder you can mix with water and drink. Pick a form that’s most appealing to you and will help you take it consistently.
Quality and Brand Reputation
With all the multivitamins on the market, it’s important to seek out ones that prioritize quality, purity, and consumer safety. Look for products that bear a third-party testing certification whenever possible.
SPECIAL MULTIVITAMIN CONSIDERATIONS WHEN USING GLP-1 MEDICATIONS
Many people are opting to use Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist medications to aid in their weight loss journey, such as semaglutide (Ozempic®) or liraglutide (Saxenda®). GLP-1 medications mimic the activity of the naturally occurring GLP-1 hormone in our bodies by reducing appetite, slowing gastric emptying, and altering nutrient absorption. (6)
While GLP-1s are effective in supporting weight loss, their use may also increase the risk of developing certain nutrient gaps, like the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Therefore, it’s especially important to choose a multivitamin that not only supports your needs during weight loss in general but can help prevent nutritional gaps.
Multivitamins for people on GLP-1s should use highly bioavailable forms of nutrients to make sure they are adequately absorbed. Plus, because GLP-1s can suppress appetite, an appropriate multivitamin will contain a comprehensive list of vitamins and minerals. This doesn’t mean that more is better or that you should go overboard with supplemental micronutrients, but that choosing a multi that covers your bases and complements your dietary intake is a good idea.
WEIGHT LOSS MULTIVITAMINS: FINAL THOUGHTS
Achieving a healthy weight has many benefits for your physical and mental well-being. For long-term success and sustainability, nutrition has to remain a priority in your weight loss journey. In addition to following a healthy diet pattern, an appropriate multivitamin can help prevent potential nutrition gaps while supporting your energy levels. Consider the points above when choosing the best multivitamin for your specific needs and preferences.
Check out our full collection of multivitamins here.
References
- Karampela I, Sakelliou A, Vallianou N, Christodoulatos GS, Magkos F, Dalamaga M. Vitamin D and Obesity: Current Evidence and Controversies. Curr Obes Rep. 2021;10(2):162-180. doi:10.1007/s13679-021-00433-1
- Astrup, A., & Bügel, S. (2019). Overfed but undernourished: Recognizing nutritional inadequacies/deficiencies in patients with overweight or obesity. International Journal of Obesity, 43(2), 219-232. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-018-0143-9
- Rizzoli, R., Bischoff-Ferrari, H., Dawson-Hughes, B., & Weaver, C. (2014). Nutrition and bone health in women after the menopause. Women’s Health (London, England), 10(6), 599–608.
- Grammatikopoulou MG, Gkiouras K, Papageorgiou SΤ, et al. Dietary Factors and Supplements Influencing Prostate Specific-Antigen (PSA) Concentrations in Men with Prostate Cancer and Increased Cancer Risk: An Evidence Analysis Review Based on Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients. 2020;12(10):2985. Published 2020 Sep 29. doi:10.3390/nu12102985
- Gasmi A, Bjørklund G, Mujawdiya PK, et al. Micronutrients deficiences in patients after bariatric surgery. Eur J Nutr. 2022;61(1):55-67. doi:10.1007/s00394-021-02619-8
- Moore PW, Malone K, VanValkenburg D, et al. GLP-1 Agonists for Weight Loss: Pharmacology and Clinical Implicat
