The truth of the matter is that not all supplements pass the test against placebos, and it’s important to do your research to make sure that you’re taking scientifically proven supplements. And before starting any supplement, you should always consult with your doctor, because scientific evidence for popular health supplements shows that not every supplement is right for everyone. Every supplement is unique, as are our bodies, so you want to make sure you find the right match for you. 

There are a few places you can start for supplements backed by science. The first one, which is one of the scientifically proven supplements for anxiety, is lavender (1). This supplement is developed from the flower of the same name, and it can reduce anxiety and promote good sleep. You can either take lavender as a supplement or apply it topically to the skin, as it’s also been studied through aromatherapy. People who took lavender at night found that, when the supplement was taken orally, it relieved restlessness in slightly more individuals than those who took a placebo.

If you’re looking for scientifically proven supplements for weight loss, look no further than caffeine (2). Caffeine can be found in coffee, green tea, and cocoa beans, and it’s a common ingredient in commercial fat-burning supplements. This substance can help to boost your metabolism and help your body burn more fat to use as fuel, which can lead to losing weight. Another supplement known to potentially help with weight loss is green tea extract, which is a concentrated form of green tea. The compounds included in this extract help the body burn fat through a process called thermogenesis, which is basically your body burning calories to produce heat. 

If you’re not looking to lose weight, but instead for scientifically proven supplements for muscle building, check out creatine (3). It is a molecule that your body naturally produces that provides energy for your muscles and other tissues, and taking it as a supplement can increase the presence of creatine by up to 40%, which promotes muscle gain. 

Top 10 Supplements Everyone Should Take

With all the supplements that exist out there, it can be hard to know what ones to take But if you could only take 5 supplements, we recommend vitamin D, vitamin K2, vitamin A, vitamin C, and iodine. These are the top 5 supplements everyone should take because they cover important bases and can aid in areas where many people need a little boost. And if you’re looking for the best 3 supplements to take, go with vitamin D, vitamin K2, and vitamin A, the first three out of the top 5 list. 

The longer list, the top 10 supplements everyone should take, includes healthy supplements like vitamin D, vitamin K2, vitamin A, vitamin C, and iodine - but it goes beyond that, too. It also includes krill oil, magnesium, L-tyrosine, zinc and copper, and methyl folate and methyl B-12. 

Vitamin D is one of the best supplements to take for overall health because it supports strong bones, muscle function, and immunity (4). The ‘sunshine vitamin,’ as it’s commonly called, might just be the most important vitamin that you need. It’s definitely one of the top supplements everyone should take daily. 

Another one of the best daily supplements for health is vitamin K2. This vitamin is involved in calcium metabolism and is optimally taken with vitamin D, because these two vitamins work together in calcium transport and absorption. 

If you’re wondering what vitamins should I take daily for a woman, we recommend vitamin A because not only does it help with immunity and vision, it also plays a big role in reproductive health. 

Vitamin C is another essential vitamin, as it helps with immune function and it also aids in combating oxidative stress. It helps to create the most powerful antioxidant in the body, which can enhance immune function and fight damage from free radicals. 

If you are especially physically active, it would probably benefit you to take iodine - because it’s most often lost through sweat. Iodine helps with the thyroid, brain, and the immune system. 

Vitamins For Weight Loss And Metabolism

In general, a faster metabolism burns calories faster than a slower one, which makes it less likely for someone to put on weight. There are some vitamins for weight loss and metabolism out there that can help to keep the metabolism working as it should, as they maintain and boost bodily functions (5). 

One of the top vitamins for weight loss for females is vitamin B12. Actually, all of the vitamins under the B vitamin category play essential roles in the energy metabolism of the body, including B12, biotin, folate, B6, B5, B3, B2, and B1. B12 is essential for the metabolism of proteins and fats, and it needs B6 and folate to work correctly. This may answer your question of ‘what vitamins are good for losing belly fat?’ 

Vitamin D is another vitamin that can boost metabolism and help you lose weight. Research suggests that vitamin D can help with lowering blood sugar and improve insulin resistance in people with diabetes, which can then help them lose weight. 

Calcium is a mineral that can help you maintain a healthy metabolism and control your blood sugar, along with aiding with bone health. If this mineral is combined with vitamin D, it may assist with diet-related weight loss. 

Magnesium is what allows the chemical reactions in the body that produce energy to happen, which means that magnesium is essential for metabolism and energy production. Because it helps with energy production, it gives you more fuel to exercise your body in the way that it needs to promote weight loss, which makes it one of the best supplements for weight loss and muscle gain female edition. 

The body needs iron for growth, development, and a healthy metabolism. It’s also needed for cell functioning and the creation of certain hormones. If someone has low iron levels, their body might not send enough oxygen to their muscles, and muscles that don’t have enough oxygen can’t burn fat as well as they should. Having low iron also interferes with optimal metabolism function. 

Vitamins For Muscle Growth And Repair

Just as there are vitamins that exist for metabolism boosting and losing weight, there are also plenty of supplements for building muscle and shredding fat. The top 5 supplements for muscle building are creatine, protein supplements, weight gainers, beta-alanine, and branched-chain amino acids (3). 

Creatine is one of the best vitamins for muscle growth and repair because it provides energy for your muscles and other tissues. It promotes muscle gain and can promote muscle strength as well, and gained strength allows you to perform better during exercise, which also leads to increased muscle mass over time. 

Protein is one of the best natural bodybuilding supplements because it helps you gain muscle. Whey, casein, and soy protein are three of the most popular variations, and research has shown that adding extra protein through supplements leads to slightly more muscle gain than people who work out with the help of extra carbs. 

Weight gainers are supplements that are designed to help you get more calories and more protein in your diet. They are most often used by people who struggle to gain muscle. These supplements are helpful for those who need to consume more calories and find it easier to do so by drinking a smoothie rather than consuming solid food. 

Beta-alanine is a type of amino acid that can reduce fatigue and has the potential to increase exercise performance. If you’re following an exercise program, beta-alanine might also help you increase muscle mass. 

Branched-chain amino acids, or BCAAs, consist of three amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. They’re found in many protein sources such as meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, and fish. They are critical for muscle growth and make up about 14% of the amino acids within your muscles, and research shows that they also have the potential to reduce muscle loss. 

Vitamins For Anxiety And Depression

If you’re feeling anxious or depressed and want to take some proactive steps to prevent issues from building up down the road, then there are vitamins for anxiety and depression that can help (6). 

Some of the best natural supplements for anxiety and depression include the group of B vitamins. All of the B vitamins play a key role in reducing anxiety and improving your mood in general, but vitamin B12 is especially powerful when it comes to this. In fact, there is a strong correlation between low levels of B12 in someone’s system and higher rates of anxiety and depression. B12 can also help with your ability to focus and remember information, which are two things that anxiety and depression can adversely affect.

Vitamin C is another one of the greatest natural supplements for anxiety and stress. It plays a key role in maintaining homeostasis within the body’s central nervous system, and taking a supplement may improve your mood and reduce anxiety, along with potentially reducing your chances for stress-related diseases. Vitamin C can also help to manage your cortisol levels, which can be heightened by chronic anxiety. 

Vitamin D is yet another one of the best natural supplements for anxiety. It can also help with alleviating symptoms of depression.  

Magnesium is yet another great choice on the list of vitamins for anxiety and panic attacks. It’s one of the best natural supplements for anxiety because your brain and nervous system both need proper levels of magnesium for optimal function and to regulate neurotransmitter activity. 

Omega 3 may also play a vital role in protecting your mental health, because getting enough of it has been linked to a reduced risk of depression. Research has shown that taking a daily supplement of omega 3 could reduce the chance of developing symptoms of depression by up to 30%. This might be because DHA, a form of omega 3, is essential for the production of serotonin in the brain, and serotonin is a hormone that helps to naturally regulate the mood. A proper amount of serotonin in the brain can reduce levels of anxiety and stress. 

Resources

1. Osborn, Luke. "Three Supplements Actually Backed by Science." The Observer, 7 Apr. 2020, fordhamobserver.com/45428/sports-and-health/health/three-supplements-actually-backed-by-science/.
2. Raman, Ryan, and Molly Burford. "5 Natural Fat Burners That Work." Healthline, 15 Feb. 2022, www.healthline.com/nutrition/5-natural-fat-burners.
3. Tinsley, Grant. "The 6 Best Supplements to Gain Muscle." Healthline, 16 July 2017, www.healthline.com/nutrition/supplements-for-muscle-gain.
4. Sheehan, Stephen. "THE TOP 10 SUPPLEMENTS THAT EVERYONE SHOULD TAKE." Bulletproof, 9 Feb. 2022, www.bulletproof.com/supplements/dietary-supplements/optimize-your-supplements/.
5. Crichton-Stewart, Cathleen. "Vitamins and minerals that boost metabolism." Medical News Today, 31 July 2018, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322644#iron.
6. "5 best vitamins for anxiety, stress and mental health." Heights, 21 Jan. 2021, www.yourheights.com/blog/supplements/best-vitamins-for-anxiety.