Believe it or not, there is a metabolism boosting supplement. Nutrients and supplements can boost metabolism IF they affect your body in one of three ways. They may:
- Changes your hormone balance to improve metabolism
- Improve the health of your cells so they are more insulin sensitive, for example, thereby improving fat loss
- Directly increase your body’s calorie output
Metabolism vs. BMR
Here’s the thing.
For years we were told that metabolism is simply a calculation of how many calories your body burns at rest. This is not “metabolism,” this is Basil Metabolic Rate (BMR) or Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR).
BMR is only affected by your age (BMR decreases as age increases), weight (BMR decreases as you lose weight), body fat (BMR decreases with more body fat), and gender (males naturally burn more than females).
When most people talk about metabolism, this is the number to which they are referring. And, they’re right. Realistically, there is no metabolism boosting supplement for BMR.
Metabolism is Different than BMR
Your metabolism has to do with the consumption, breakdown, storage, and/or use of food as energy. There are many factors that makeup one’s metabolism.
Beyond your BMR, there are hormones and enzymes that influence the storage and breakdown of the nutrients, the cycle of hunger and feeling full, and efficiency of metabolic processes.
These hormones and enzymes may or may not be working well in your body.
Their work is influenced by the health of your whole body, systems, tissues, and cells.
Your cells’ health is definitely influenced by nutrients and foods, even supplements.
Cellular Health and Metabolism
At a cellular level, you may not be healthy enough to effectively lose weight because an unhealthy or impaired metabolism is dragging you down.
Even if you eat the same amount of calories and exercise the same as a person who is at their goal weight, your body may respond very differently. Instead of burning the foods you eat, your body may choose to store more fat.
For example, if your cells are resistant to insulin, which is common if overweight, your cells may resist fat loss.
Unfortunately, although the incidence is very high, insulin resistance often goes undiagnosed. A recent study found that over 70% of overweight and/or obese women were undiagnosed insulin resistant (1).
Foods, nutrients, and supplements can affect your cells’ sensitivity to insulin.
More Hormones and Metabolism Influencers
Increased levels of stress increase cortisol. Cortisol increases insulin resistance. Lack of sleep and unnatural sleeping pattern can affect blood sugars, cortisol, and insulin.
Eating at the wrong times of day affects insulin and fat storage.
Being sedentary for long stretches of time can cause the enzymes responsible for breaking down and storing fat to be activated.
The hormones that affect hunger and satiety (ghrelin and leptin) can be affected by cellular health.
Specific food ingredients can work like addictive substances to cause us to consume more and more without ever feeling a “full” feeling.
There’s good news. You can affect your hormone balance and cells’ health. You can find a metabolism boosting supplement and diet.
Metabolism Boosting Foods
First, use the Keto Zone diet which replaces almost all carbohydrates with healthy fats. It will vastly improve insulin sensitivity and metabolism (2, 3). In fact, Omega-3s have been shown to increase fat loss compared to other nutrients.
Next, include moderate amounts of protein at meals. Your body burns more calories while processing protein than fat or carbohydrates.
Then, pay attention to gut health. Use probiotics and fiber like that found in these chia seeds. They have a direct effect on calorie output, hormone balance and cellular health (4).
The Best Metabolism Boosting Supplement and Nutrients
A few individual nutrients become even more important for metabolism as we age. They can increase metabolism by improving the health of cells and hormone balance.
- Vitamin D levels are associated with healthy weight and improved cellular health. In fact, most people who are obese are also low in Vitamin D.
- Vitamin K2 affects the metabolism of minerals like calcium, thereby affecting bone-nutrient metabolism and health. It reduces fractures and osteoporosis while also reducing oxidative stress and improving overall cellular health (5).
- Diindolylmethane (DIM) has a direct effect on estrogen balance and the production of healthful estrogen vs. detrimental estrogen. This is especially important to the metabolism of women in middle age (6).
Bottom Line
Yes, you can find a metabolism boosting supplement. In fact, if you pay special attention to Vitamin D, K2, and DIM as you age, you will do your cells, bones, and metabolism a lot of good. Furthermore, eating a Keto Zone diet full of omega-3s, healthy fats, moderate protein, and fiber will further improve the health of your cells and metabolism.
