When making dietary changes, ensuring your body receives all the essential nutrients it needs can sometimes be a challenge. Adjustments to food intake, whether due to a new eating plan or weight loss regime, can create gaps in micronutrient levels. A daily multivitamin can help provide additional nutritional support to maintain overall well-being and energy levels.
Understanding the Role of Nutrients
The body requires two main types of nutrients: macronutrients and micronutrients.
Macronutrients - proteins, fats, and carbohydrates - are needed in larger amounts as they supply energy and fuel bodily functions.
Micronutrients - vitamins and minerals - are required in smaller quantities but are just as vital. They support metabolism, immune function, and overall health.
While macronutrients are typically easy to incorporate into a balanced diet, micronutrient intake can sometimes be overlooked. Deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, weakened immunity, muscle aches, difficulty maintaining energy levels and even mood disturbances like depression.
Why Micronutrients Matter in Weight Management
For those managing weight loss, ensuring sufficient micronutrient intake is key to maintaining strength and vitality. Nutritional gaps may arise from reduced food intake, restricted food groups, or changes in metabolism, making it important to include a diverse range of nutrient-rich foods in your diet.
Key Micronutrients and Their Sources:
Vitamin A & Folate (B9) – Sweet potatoes, asparagus, avocado
Vitamin D – Eggs, Milk, Mushrooms, fortified cereals
Iodine –Fish, Seaweed
Zinc – Cashews, quinoa, lean pork, Oysters
Vitamin C – Citrus fruits, cabbage, blueberries
When it’s difficult to get enough essential nutrients from food alone, a multivitamin supplement can be a simple way to help maintain optimal levels and support daily function.
A Balanced Approach to Nutrition
To support energy, metabolism, and overall well-being while managing weight, ensuring a steady intake of essential vitamins and minerals is crucial. Adding a multivitamin can help fill dietary gaps and provide foundational nutritional support. Combined with a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle, this can contribute to improved energy levels and long-term health.
Gut Health and Weight Loss: The Role of Prebiotics and Probiotics
A healthy gut is fundamental to digestion, nutrient absorption, and overall wellness. When your gut is functioning optimally, your body can efficiently break down food, extract essential nutrients, and maintain a strong immune system.
At the heart of gut health lies the gut microbiome—a diverse ecosystem of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that reside in the digestive tract. While some microbes can be harmful, the majority are beneficial, playing a crucial role in maintaining gut balance. Keeping this microbiome in check is key to digestive efficiency, metabolic health, and even mood regulation.
How to Support Gut Health During Weight Loss
When making dietary adjustments—whether through calorie restriction, dietary shifts, or other weight loss regimes—it’s important to consider the impact on gut bacteria. Changes in food intake can affect the diversity and composition of the gut microbiome, which in turn can influence digestion, metabolism, and overall energy levels.
One of the most effective ways to maintain gut balance is through the combination of probiotics (known also as live bacterial cultures) and prebiotics in the diet.
Probiotics: Beneficial Live Bacteria
Live bacterial cultures help maintain a healthy microbiome by repopulating the gut with beneficial bacteria.
Common sources of live bacterial cultures include:
- Fermented dairy products like yogurt and kefir
- Fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and pickles
- Kombucha and miso
- Supplements, which contain specific bacterial strains linked to gut health
Prebiotics: Fuel for Good Bacteria
Prebiotics are non-digestible fibres that serve as food for beneficial bacteria in the gut, promoting their growth and activity. These fibres ferment in the colon, producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, which help regulate inflammation and gut lining integrity.
One of the best sources of prebiotic fibre is inulin, which is naturally found in chicory root. Chicory root fibre is widely recognised for its ability to stimulate the growth of Bifidobacteria, a group of beneficial bacteria linked to improved digestion, enhanced nutrient absorption, and a stronger immune system.
- Other good sources of prebiotics include:
- Garlic, onions, and leeks
- Asparagus and artichokes
- Bananas and apples
- Oats and barley
By combining probiotics and prebiotics, you create a synergistic effect, helping your microbiome thrive.
The Role of Fibre in Gut Health
Fibre is another key player in gut health. It regulates digestion, supports gut motility, and helps maintain microbial diversity. Women should aim for approximately 28 grams of fibre per day, incorporating both soluble fibre (which forms a gel-like substance in the gut) and insoluble fibre (which adds bulk to stool and promotes regularity).
If meeting daily fibre goals through diet alone is challenging, fibre supplements containing inulin can provide additional support.
Optimising Gut Health for Sustainable Weight Loss
Maintaining a balanced gut microbiome while managing weight loss isn’t just about digestion, it can influence metabolism, hunger regulation, and energy production.
Ensuring adequate probiotic intake, prebiotic support, and sufficient fibre consumption can enhance gut function, reduce bloating, and promote overall well-being. To stay on track, consider incorporating a daily probiotic supplement alongside a fibre-rich diet to support long-term digestive and metabolic health.
By nurturing your gut, you can optimise nutrient absorption, maintain energy levels, and create a healthier, more sustainable weight loss journey.
Director of Regulatory Affairs & New Product Development at Metabolics
With over 13 years at Metabolics and a strong foundation in pharmaceutical research, analytical biochemistry, and quality management, Kathy brings extensive experience to the development of high-quality, evidence-based supplements. She is passionate about supporting health and well-being through expertly formulated nutrition.
