Below is a list of various nutrients that affect a person's ability to gain or lose weight.

• Zinc - reduces leptin, a beneficial hormone that regulates appetite, which is reversed by zinc repletion.

• Asparagine - this amino acid increases insulin sensitivity which helps the body store energy in muscle instead of storing it as body fat.

• Biotin - boosts metabolism by improving glycemic control (stabilizes blood sugar) and lowering insulin, a hormone that promotes fat formation.

• Carnitine - carries fatty acids into cell so they can be burned for fuel; Helps reduce visceral adiposity (belly fat).

• Calcium - inhibits the formation of fat cells; Also helps oxidize (burn) fat cells.

• Lipoic Acid - improves glucose uptake into cells, which helps a person burn carbohydrates more efficiently.

• Chromium - makes the body more sensitive to insulin, helping to reduce body fat and increase lean muscle.

• Vitamin B5 - taking B5 lowers body weight by activating lipoprotein lipase, an enzyme that burns fat cells. One study linked B5 supplementation to less hunger when dieting.

• Magnesium - low magnesium in cells impairs a person’s ability to use glucose for fuel, instead storing it as fat; Correcting a magnesium deficiency stimulates metabolism by increasing insulin sensitivity. Magnesium may also inhibit fat absorption.

• Glutamine - reduces fat mass by improving glucose uptake into muscle.

• Cysteine - supplementation with this antioxidant reduced body fat in obese patients.

• Inositol - supplementation may increase adiponectin levels.

• Vitamin B3 (niacin) - treatment with B3 increases adiponectin, a weight-loss hormone secreted by fat cells; Niacin-bound chromium supplements helped reduced body weight in clinical trials.

• Vitamin A - enhances expression of genes that reduce a person’s tendency to store food as fat; Reduces the size of fat cells.

• Vitamin E - inhibits pre-fat cells from changing into mature fat cells, thus reducing body fat.

• Vitamin D - deficiency strongly linked to poor metabolism of carbohydrates; Genes that are regulated by vitamin D may alter the way fat cells form in some people.

• Vitamin K - poor vitamin K status linked to excess fat tissue; Vitamin K helps metabolize sugars.

Although researchers speculate on the reason for this rise, many factors likely contribute, including more accurate diagnosis. However, overwhelming evidence suggests that nutritional deficiencies may be a contributing factor.