Can Vitamins Make You Hungry?
Some people notice an increase in feelings of hunger after they start to take vitamin or mineral supplements. Although supplementation may affect hunger in certain situations, increased appetite is typically due to another cause.
Supplements and Appetite
There is very little research suggesting that vitamin and mineral supplements increase hunger. One survey of 330 people in Saudi Arabia who used dietary supplements found that a majority of them — 59.8 percent — reported increased appetite as a positive effect of supplementation, however.
It’s important to note that this research relied on self-reported results; it didn’t attempt to objectively confirm that using supplements was the reason participants may have noticed an increase in appetite. There was no control group consisting of people who didn’t take dietary supplements to use as a comparison either.
The research also didn’t specify the exact supplements people took, though it noted that many of the participants took multivitamins, specific vitamins, or mineral supplements. It’s unclear whether participants took supplements of other types, such as herbs, amino acids, or other compounds.
So while this research found that many participants reported increased appetite in relation to taking supplements, it didn’t attempt to determine whether or not that’s objectively true (or why), or with which dietary supplements it might occur.
Health Conditions, Appetite, and Supplementation
It’s been suggested that people with certain health conditions may feel their appetite increase with supplementation.
According to one review paper, vitamin and mineral supplementation in people with chronic respiratory conditions can improve symptoms like loss of appetite. The authors write that people with such illnesses, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, may even see their conditions improve after supplementation and dietary changes.
People who lose their appetite due to advanced cancers may experience improvements in appetite (along with a reduction in nausea and vomiting) with the intravenous (IV) administration of high doses of vitamin C, according to another research paper.
Some patients reported loss of appetite due to the IV vitamin C treatments themselves, however. The authors write that more research is needed to confirm and better understand how effective IV vitamin C supplementation may be.
Nutrient Deficiencies and Appetite
One of the side effects of certain nutrient deficiencies, such as vitamin of B12, is a loss of appetite. Vitamin B12 deficiency is most common among older adults, vegans and vegetarians, people with pernicious anemia or digestive disorders, and those who’ve had weight-loss surgery, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements.
Deficiencies of other B vitamins, including thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B6), biotin (vitamin B7), and folate (vitamin B9) can also cause a lack of appetite, according to The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
Having a zinc deficiency has also been connected with poor appetite. Zinc deficiencies can be caused by a diet that’s low in zinc (particularly vegetarian or vegan diets), certain health conditions, or medical treatments.
A number of health conditions can lead to low zinc levels. They include alcohol use disorder, some gastrointestinal diseases, HIV, kidney or liver disease, type 2 diabetes, and pregnancy, among others, according to Cleveland Clinic.
You can usually treat and correct a diagnosed nutrient deficiency by eating foods rich in the vitamin or mineral you need and taking any prescribed supplements.
Other Things to Consider
Some people start taking vitamins in an effort to be healthier. At the same time, they increase how much they’re exercising, which could cause them to feel hungrier, according to Sports Dietitians Australia, a professional membership organization. Or they restrict the number of calories they eat, which — you guessed it — can also cause increased feelings of hunger, according to Harvard Health Publishing.
Check with your doctor to make sure you don’t have a more serious medical problem, as a number of medical conditions can also increase hunger. Diabetes, hyperthyroidism (also known as Graves’ disease), premenstrual syndrome, atypical depression, anxiety, and stress can all cause increased hunger, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Some medications, including certain antihistamines, antidepressants, and oral corticosteroids, may increase hunger as well, according to MedlinePlus and the AARP.
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