When you're intent on shifting fat, it makes perfect sense to sweat over macronutrients. But, for some reason, we tend to be less fired up about micronutrients: if we do pop a cursory multivitamin, it's more likely a nod to general health. However, research suggests that by skipping your daily dose, you're missing a trick.
Vitamins are essential for converting nutrients into energy, helping you burn more calories throughout the day. Fail to hit your RDAs consistently and you could gain more than a cold. For 12 weeks, scientists fed mice a diet containing just half of their recommended vitamin intake. By the end of the experiment, the micro-deprived mice weighed 6% more than the control group, even though they had consumed the same amount of food, and their body fat had doubled.
Without vital micros, your liver produces fewer PPAR-alpha fat sensors. This reduces your body's capacity to burn fat. Worryingly, your cells also become less sensitive to insulin, which can cause your blood sugar levels to spike and slump more wildly, making you more susceptible to the siren song of a mid-afternoon chocolate digestive.
If all of this is weighing heavily on your mind, rest assured: keeping your vitamin stocks high is as easy as opening your bathroom cabinet. Of course, the contents of your fridge offer more healthful ways to stave off deficiencies, but in the battle to keep all bases covered, these small wonders deliver big victories.
Vitamin D3 25ug
Holland & Barrett hollandandbarrett.com£18.49
As well as keeping your mood up during the winter months, vitamin D3 supports fat loss and muscle strength.
Magnesium Oil Spray 100ml
Holland & Barrett hollandandbarrett.com£11.99
Sleep-aid magnesium is also a crucial mineral for regulating blood pressure. Spray directly onto your skin.
Creatine Monohydrate Powder
Myprotein myprotein.com£3.53
Though commonly taken for muscle power and growth, creatine also boosts energy and brainpower.
Ashwagandha Recovery Aid
USN hollandandbarrett.com£8.99
Ashwagandha is a popular choice for stress relief. But some studies show the herbal supplement could also boost testosterone production.
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Scarlett Wrench Scarlett Wrench is the Features Editor at Men's Health and she specialises in food and nutrition, mental health, science and tech.
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