How To Slim With Green Tea & B12 Vitamins

Green tea and vitamin B12 share a reputation for aiding weight loss. Reducing your weight by 5 to 10 percent helps prevent diabetes, reduce blood pressure, improve your cholesterol profile and reduce the risk of osteoarthritis of the knee, according to New York University's Langone Medical Center. Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause fatigue, and vegans and people over 50 may not take in enough B12. Green tea may help with fat burning. Moderate supplementation may help you slim down, in combination with diet and exercise. Consult your doctor before trying any supplements for weight loss.

Step 1

Begin a moderately reduced calorie diet to promote weight loss. It takes a 3,500 calorie deficit to lose 1 lb. For example, if your weight is stable, lowering your daily calories by 500 below your maintenance level can help you achieve a healthy rate of weight loss of 1 lb. per week.

Step 2

Exercise regularly at moderate aerobic intensity for at least 30 minutes five days a week. If you've been inactive, increase your exercise gradually. For example, start taking brisk 10-minute walks. Aerobic exercise trains your body to burn calories more efficiently.

Step 3

Drink one cup of green tea or iced green tea after breakfast and lunch, if approved by your doctor. Overweight men who consumed 300 mg of green tea per day for three days burned fat 33 percent faster following a meal, researchers from Switzerland's DSM Nutritional Products reported in the July 2010 issue of the "Journal of Diabetes Care."

Step 4

Take a B12 supplement with breakfast, if approved by your doctor. Alternatively, obtain B12 shots. B12 may increase energy, which can help you burn more calories, but as of the time of publication there isn't sufficient evidence of its effectiveness as a weight loss aid.

Tips and Warnings

The Recommended Daily Allowance for vitamin B12 for adults is 2.4 mcg. This amount is easy to obtain from food sources. For example, two 1-cup servings of plain yogurt provide 2.8 mcg of B12, 3 oz. of top sirloin contains 4.9 mcg and 3 oz. of sockeye salmon contains 4.9 mcg, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. A 600 mg dose of green tea resulted in only a 20 percent increase in fat oxidation in the Swiss study, suggesting a lower dose of green tea is more effective than a higher one. Two to three cups of green tea provide 240 to 320 mg of polyphenols, the antioxidants in green tea, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Although some preliminary studies suggest green tea may promote fat burning, and it's possible B12 can increase energy, as of publication there isn't sufficient evidence that these supplements will cause weight loss.
Consult your doctor about medical concerns. Pregnant and breastfeeding women and people with heart, kidney, stomach or psychological disorders should avoid green tea. Green tea may cause nervousness and difficulty sleeping in some people.