Want To Boost Your Metabolism? Try These 6 Nutrients
o you wish you could boost your metabolism naturally? Have you been trying to lose the extra kilos, only to go backwards?
It’s not just you – your metabolism can be sluggish. The good news is there is plenty you can do to help, including the addition of 6 key nutrients.
What is your metabolism?
When you think about metabolism, you probably think of losing or gaining weight. But it is far more complex than that. Your metabolism runs all of the systems in your body – from your cardiovascular system to your brain and nervous system, your internal thermostat, gut, glands and your mineral balance.
It’s also responsible for catabolism – the breakdown of tissue – and anabolism – the building up of tissue. These processes occur throughout the body, but one important one is your muscle tissue.
If your metabolism isn’t working optimally, your muscle catabolism will be faster than your muscle anabolism. This means that even if you’re working out and eating well, you’ll tend towards fat gain and muscle loss.
Another metabolic function is breaking down and absorbing nutrients, particularly minerals such as zinc, iron, magnesium and calcium. If your metabolism is slow, you may not get enough through your food and supplements to meet all of your needs.
It’s important to know this because if your metabolism is struggling and you push the workouts and dieting, you can make it worse. That’s why you want to find the underlying cause of your sluggish metabolism and bring it back into balance.
We also want to consider the process of metabolism within the cells. Your mitochondria produce ATP, the main form of energy, and keep everything moving. However, this can be slowed by issues such as heavy metals and toxins. Your body tries to protect you by putting the cells to sleep and reducing the metabolic rate. To get your metabolism up again, we want to identify these issues and mobilise them out of the body.
Signs of a sluggish metabolism
Because your metabolism could be sluggish due to thyroid function, mitochondrial issues, insulin resistance and more, the signs and symptoms vary. But some of the most common signs I see in clinic include:
Low ferritin (iron stores)
Teeth issues and receding gums – caused by jaw loss as calcium is drawn elsewhere in the body
Hair loss
Restless leg syndrome – this can be a combination of low ferritin and low dopamine
Depression – particularly if it doesn’t respond to anti-depressants
Anxiety
Dry skin, hard cracked heels or snake skin on lower legs
Cold hands and feet
Stubborn weight gain or inability to lose weight
Heavy painful periods and other symptoms of low progesterone levels
Constipation, particularly if you have a predisposition to it
Dry eyes and lips
Fatigue, particularly in the morning
Puffiness
6 nutrients that help boost your metabolism
When you want to boost your metabolism, you want to work on three main areas: mitochondrial function, toxins and thyroid function. The good news is that these 6 nutrients can help you to do just that.
Acetyl l carnitine
L-carnitine helps to boost intracellular metabolism and ATP production. It is anti-ageing and can help with the release of toxins in the cells, as well as increasing the metabolic rate. This is particularly helpful if you are exercising a lot but aren’t losing weight.
You can take up to 2g per day if you exercise regularly. Most of the brands out there have 500mg per dose, so you can look at 1-4 per day.
Bitter orange extract
This is a more controversial option, as it can have negative effects if it comes from a poor source. That’s why I don’t recommend it all the time. That being said, there is evidence to show that it can increase the metabolic rate, particularly when used with exercise. It’s best to opt for an organic high-quality source.
For dose, I recommend 500mg per day.
Green tea
This is one of the best teas out there! Green tea can regulate your blood sugar (which is great if you have insulin resistance). It also increases thermogenesis and the breakdown of fat in the cells.
Aside from the metabolism aspect, it contains theanine that helps with relaxation, antioxidants for anti-ageing effects, and it also stimulates digestion. But remember it still contains caffeine, so it’s best to keep your intake to the morning.
If taking it as a supplement, 800mg is a good dose. If you prefer to drink it, I suggest up to 3 cups of organic green tea per day.
Iodine
If you have thyroid issues, iodine is a must to consider. Iodine boosts the metabolic rate by combining with sodium and tyrosine to make thyroid hormone T4.
Some people find they have side effects if they don’t include salt (sodium) with their dose. You could get headaches, brain fog, or pain in your arms or shoulder. I recommend taking your iodine with a glass of water that has 1/4 tsp of good-quality salt.
For iodine, it’s important to make sure you’re low in iodine before supplementing and not go too high on the dose. Otherwise, you can experience some rather nasty side effects! Signs of low iodine can include goiter or nodules on the thyroid, coughs and colds, chest infections, hair loss and low white blood cells. If you’re not sure, you can incorporate iodine-rich foods such as seaweed and seafood and see how you feel.
I recommend a maximum of 150mcg of iodine. You also can take it less often and still reap the benefits – I only take it a few times a week and I can see the difference.
Tyrosine
For iodine to do its job in the body, you also need tyrosine – an amino acid. Tyrosine supports thyroid function in the creation of T4.
500mg per day is a good dose for tyrosine. You can take it by itself, or as part of a thyroid supplement.
Alpha lipoic acid
ALA helps to boost your metabolic rate, and it also assists your mitochondria in creating ATP (energy). A good dose is 500mg per day.
Remember, the best nutrients depends on what your specific concerns are. If you know you have thyroid issues, opt for thyroid-specific nutrients. If you feel you’re ageing quickly, go for the mitochondria-supportive options. L-carnitine and green tea are great for anyone to try (just be wary of caffeine timing!)