When it comes to weight loss, you’ll see all sorts of magic pills, potions, and extreme exercise protocols that promise to “boost” your metabolism. And, while these things may be rooted in a modicum of science, the effects they have are extremely modest in the grand scheme of things.
In other words, if your normal fat loss diet and training program aren’t up to snuff, then no amount of fads will matter.
Truth be told, you can get amazing results by just focusing on “the basics” (i.e. tracking your calories, training hard, and getting enough sleep, taking the proper supplements. Along those lines, here are three micronutrients that help support a healthy metabolism for better results during your transformation challenge.
#1 Vitamin D
Also known as the “sunshine vitamin,” vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that also serves as a precursor for various hormones in the body. Additionally, vitamin D helps your absorb calcium so that blood calcium levels are within a healthy range, which aids bone mineralization and supports strong, healthy bones.
But, that’s just one of the many wide-ranging functions of vitamin D. It also plays a key role in immune function and metabolism. In fact, research shows that deficiencies in the essential vitamin are associated with increased risk of illness as well as higher rates of obesity and body fat percentage.[1,2,3]
Your body naturally synthesizes vitamin D when exposed to direct sunlight. Still, many individuals struggle to get enough sunshine each day for a variety of reasons. Small amounts of vitamin D can be obtained from foods, such as wild salmon and mushrooms. Vitamin D supplements are also affordable and provide an easy way to help get in enough vitamin D each week.
Our men’s and women’s multivitamins, 1UP Multi-Go Men and 1UP Multi-Go Women, provide 800IU of Vitamin D in each daily serving.
#2 Choline
Choline is an essential nutrient, prevalent in egg yolks, that plays a vital role in cognitive function and memory (via supporting production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine). This major micronutrient also serves an important role in structure and integrity of cell membranes.
In regards to weight loss and metabolism, choline is required for optimal transportation of lipids as well as their breakdown and utilization.
Beside egg yolks, other foods high in choline include beef liver, soybeans, chicken breast, lean beef, and cod.
Given that choline supports the production of acetylcholine (“the learning neurotransmitter”), it’s common to see cholinergic support supplements in pre workouts. In addition to learning and memory, acetylcholine is also involved in the mind-muscle connection, which has been shown to support muscle growth and performance!
This is one of the reasons we’ve included acetylcholine-supporting ingredients, like DMAE and huperzine in our pre workouts, including 1UP Pre Women, 1UP Pre Men, and 1UP Stim-Free. We’ve also included 100mg of choline bitartrate in our best-selling Hair, Skin & Nails formula.
#3 Magnesium
Sodium is typically the electrolyte that gets the most attention, but one of the true standouts is magnesium, an essential mineral/electrolyte involved in over 300+ biological processes!
Magnesium plays a key role in cardiovascular health, kidney function, bone density, and muscle relaxation and recovery. It even impacts sleep and digestion!
Research has also found that higher magnesium levels support better glucose and insulin levels, which can support stable energy levels, metabolism and weight loss.[4]
Foods naturally rich in magnesium include avocado, dark chocolate, dark leafy greens, whole grains, lentils, legumes, and nuts.
Unfortunately, magnesium is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies there is, especially in highly active populations on account of increased micronutrient needs.
In addition to our men’s and women’s multivitamins, we’ve also included magnesium in our Hormone Support Plus formula to help active individuals meet their daily needs.
Takeaway
Weight loss occurs as a result of healthy lifestyle habits that are carried out day in and day out. This includes eating a well-balanced diet (including the three micronutrients listed above), tracking your calories, getting enough sleep, and maintaining high levels of physical activity.
Put it all together and there’s no need for fad diets or extreme exercise regimens. Consistency, dedication, and effort with deliver the results you want, helping you have more energy, better mood, and the body you’ve always wanted!
References
- https://www.bmj.com/content/356/bmj.i6583
- Abdullah Thani NSI, Khairudin R, Ho JJ, Muhamad NA, Ismail H. Vitamin D supplementation for overweight or obese adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;2019(5):CD011629. Published 2019 May 23. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD011629.pub2
- Zakharova, I., Klimov, L., Kuryaninova, V., Nikitina, I., Malyavskaya, S., Dolbnya, S., Kasyanova, A., Atanesyan, R., Stoyan, M., Todieva, A., Kostrova, G., & Lebedev, A. (2019). Vitamin D insufficiency in overweight and obese children and adolescents. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2019.00103
- Hruby A, Ngwa JS, Renström F, Wojczynski MK, Ganna A, Hallmans G, Houston DK, Jacques PF, Kanoni S, Lehtimäki T, Lemaitre RN, Manichaikul A, North KE, Ntalla I, Sonestedt E, Tanaka T, van Rooij FJ, Bandinelli S, Djoussé L, Grigoriou E, Johansson I, Lohman KK, Pankow JS, Raitakari OT, Riserus U, Yannakoulia M, Zillikens MC, Hassanali N, Liu Y, Mozaffarian D, Papoutsakis C, Syvänen AC, Uitterlinden AG, Viikari J, Groves CJ, Hofman A, Lind L, McCarthy MI, Mikkilä V, Mukamal K, Franco OH, Borecki IB, Cupples LA, Dedoussis GV, Ferrucci L, Hu FB, Ingelsson E, Kähönen M, Kao WH, Kritchevsky SB, Orho-Melander M, Prokopenko I, Rotter JI, Siscovick DS, Witteman JC, Franks PW, Meigs JB, McKeown NM, Nettleton JA. Higher magnesium intake is associated with lower fasting glucose and insulin, with no evidence of interaction with select genetic loci, in a meta-analysis of 15 CHARGE Consortium Studies. J Nutr. 2013 Mar;143(3):345-53. doi: 10.3945/jn.112.172049. Epub 2013 Jan 23. PMID: 23343670; PMCID: PMC3713023.
