Vitamins may have an effect on your appetite. Studies in the British Journal of Nutrition indicate the possibility of a connection between taking certain vitamins and appetite suppression. Alternately, vitamin deficiencies can cause loss of appetite. Vitamin deficiencies are generally caused by lack of balanced nutrition and, when optimal vitamin levels are replaced, appetite returns to normal levels. Before adding vitamin supplements to your diet, consult a healthcare professional.
Multivitamin Supplements
A 2008 article in the British Journal of Nutrition suggests that intake of multivitamins may help to suppress appetite. The article reviews the results of two studies in which a group of obese men and women were put on a weight-loss program. Half were given multivitamin supplements and half were given placebos. Male subjects who took multivitamins lost more weight and had lower fat mass than those given placebos. Female subjects who took multivitamins showed similar results, but also reported lower rates of hunger and decreased appetite after both fasting and eating. The article concludes that "vitamin and/or dietary supplements consumption and multivitamin and mineral supplementation during a weight-reducing programme seems to have an appetite-related effect in women."
Vitamin D and Calcium
A 2009 study in the British Journal of Nutrition suggests that a daily supplement of vitamin D and calcium may have a suppressing effect on appetite. In the study, a group of obese women were put on a 15-week weight-loss program. Half of the women took a daily supplement of 5 mg of vitamin D and 600 mg of calcium and the other half received a placebo. The subjects taking vitamins lost more weight and fat mass, due to a decrease in lipid, or fat, intake. The study concludes that "this change in lipid intake could be influenced by a calcium-specific appetite control."
Vitamin A
A deficiency in vitamin A can lead to loss of appetite. Vitamin A is important to many bodily functions, such as vision, immune system regulation, bone growth and cellular functions. In industrialized countries, vitamin A deficiency is relatively rare and is usually associated with strict diet restrictions, alcoholism, celiac disease or Crohn's disease. Vitamin A is found in animal sources, such as meat, poultry, eggs and dairy, and vegetable sources, such as carrots, sweet potatoes and spinach.
Vitamin B1
A deficiency in vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, can cause appetite loss. Thiamine is necessary for proper heart, muscle and nerve functions and is instrumental in the breakdown of carbohydrates, protein and fats. Most cases of vitamin B1 deficiency in industrialized countries are caused by excessive alcoholism, which can result in a potentially deadly disease known as beriberi. Thiamine is present in animal sources, such as pork, organ meats and oysters, and in vegetable sources such as legumes, nuts, whole grains and oranges.
References
- PubMed.gov, British Journal of Nutrition: Calcium plus Vitamin D Supplementation and Fat Mass Loss in Female Very Low-Calcium Consumers: Potential Link With a Calcium-Specific Appetite Control
- Cambridge Journals, British Journal of Nutrition: Multivitamin and Dietary Supplements, Body Weight and Appetite: Results From a Cross-Sectional and a Randomised Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study
- Nutrition.com: All About Vitamins
- Art Ulene, 2001 CyberSoft Inc.: "The NutriBase Nutrition Facts Desk Reference"
- National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin and Mineral Fact Sheets
- Medline Plus: Beriberi
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