Research
Hormonal
Micronutrient deficiencies (specifically antioxidants, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and Zinc) are consistently associated with increased adiposity and obesity, potentially through mechanisms involving leptin dysregulation, insulin resistance, and altered adipogenesis.
Ensure your diet includes adequate sources of antioxidants (Vitamins C, E, Selenium), Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and Zinc. While this won't replace the need for a caloric deficit, correcting deficiencies may improve metabolic health, insulin sensitivity, and hormone regulation, potentially aiding weight management efforts.
ModerateQualifiesMEDIUM confidence
An examination of the available literature suggests associations exist between micronutrient deficiencies and obesity in different populations. These associations and possible mechanisms of the deficiencies' metabolic effects, such as their influence on leptin and insulin metabolism, are discussed here.
Why this rating
The paper is a review of observational and animal studies; human intervention data is sparse or inconclusive for many nutrients.
Source
Impact of micronutrient deficiencies on obesity
Olga P. García et al. · Nutrition Reviews · 2009
DOI 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2009.00228.x
narrative_reviewCited 370×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in obese populations and is associated with secondary hyperparathyroidism and insulin resistance, potentially due to sequestration in adipose tissue.Moderate
- Zinc deficiency is associated with increased body fat and reduced lean mass in children, and may influence leptin secretion, though human intervention studies show mixed results.Limited
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