Taking a daily multivitamin may help some women shed more pounds than women who do not take a daily multivitamin, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Obesity. The 26-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention study sought out to evaluate the effects of supplementation with multivitamin and multi mineral on adiposity, energy expenditure and lipid profiles in 96 obese Chinese women, and the results were quite interesting.

Results of the Study

Of the 87 women who completed the study, those given the multivitamin and multi mineral supplement lost on average 7.9lbs, those given a calcium supplement lost 2lbs, and those given a placebo lost above a .5lbs, showing a high correlation of increased weight loss while taking a multivitamin and mineral supplement in obese people. In addition, the multivitamin group also saw a significant decrease in BMI, waist size, a drop in bad (LDL) cholesterol, and increased good (HDL) cholesterol, indicating other benefits of taking a multivitamin and mineral supplement. The researchers also wrote:

“To our knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate the effects of multivitamin and mineral supplementation on lipid profile in obese subjects,” and concluded that “The results suggest that, in obese individuals, multivitamin and mineral supplementation could reduce body weight and fatness and improve serum lipid profiles, possibly through increased energy expenditure and fat oxidation. Supplementation of calcium alone (162 mg per day) only improved lipid profiles.”

While more research is needed on broader populations and to support the findings of this study, this study helps pave the way for proving this possible link in taking multivitamin and mineral supplements for their weight loss potential in the future.

Source: International Journal of Obesity advance online publication 9 February 2010; doi: 10.1038/ijo.2010.14, “Effects of multivitamin and mineral supplementation on adiposity, energy expenditure and lipid profiles in obese Chinese women,” Y. Li, C. Wang, K. Zhu, R.N. Feng, C.H. Sun

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