Your appetite, according to dietician Susan B. Dopart in the Huffington Post, is controlled by fluctuations in hormones like insulin. Because many people have some form of resistance to the satiating effects of insulin, she adds, they don't get the proper signal from their body that they feel full. Additionally, certain types of foods, including simple carbohydrates, can cause sharp hormonal fluctuations that can cause you to feel hungry even if you've just eaten. Vitamin supplements may help decrease your appetite by helping your body restore its balance. Check with your physician before using any vitamin supplement.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin that your body can't manufacture without an outside source such as fruits, vegetables and supplements. Dr. Stephen Levine of the website Springboard4Health claims that a buffered vitamin C supplement that also contains the minerals calcium and magnesium appears to help control addictive behaviors such as emotional and binge eating. He suggests that this effect may be attributed to the ability of both vitamin C and calcium to counteract the fat-storing effect of insulin.
Chromium
Chromium is an essential mineral that, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, helps your body regulate blood glucose levels. When blood glucose levels are unstable, you may find yourself hungry at a time when you've recently eaten. This is due to a drop in blood glucose that triggers a hunger response and subsequent hormonal release. The UMMV adds that as much as 90 percent of Americans don't consume enough chromium in their diet, although a deficiency is considered rare.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D plays a role in maintaining bone strength by regulating the absorption of the mineral calcium. The University of Maryland Medical Center explains that low blood levels of vitamin D are associated with both depression and obesity. The National Health Service of the United Kingdom adds that as much as half the individuals who engage in binge eating probably have some form of depression. This may alter their response to hunger or may indicate that their sense of satiety may be overshadowed by the emotional satisfaction eating can provide.
Green Tea
One of the easiest ways to "trick" yourself into feeling full is to drink a glass of water approximately a half hour before eating a meal. In place of water, having a glass of green tea may also help increase your body's ability to burn off fat. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, substances called polyphenols are naturally found in green tea and may be responsible for the metabolism-increasing effect. If you're trying to lose weight, the mild stimulant effect of the caffeine in green tea can also give you a boost of energy to encourage you to engage in regular physical activity.
References
- Huffington Post: Appetite Control: Understanding Your Hunger Hormones
- Springboard4Health: Buffered Vitamin C to the Rescue
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Chromium
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin D
- National Health Service of the United Kingdom: Binge Eating - Causes
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Green Tea
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