Researchers have found vitamin D also plays a role in regulating body weight. It controls the levels of a hormone called leptin which signals our brain when we are full and can stop eating. Without sufficient levels of vitamin D, the likelihood of overeating and therefore gaining weight is much greater.
When nutrient levels are lesser, the brain's appetite centers are triggered, causing uncontrollable cravings and a ravenous appetite. This is caused due to lack of vitamins B-12 and D, and iron. As a result of eating high-calorie foods more and uncontrollably, weight gain is all but inevitable.
Food cravings are linked to nutrient deficiencies. If you're constantly craving sweets, get more magnesium, chromium, and tryptophan in your diet. These nutrients are found in whole, natural foods, such as broccoli, dried beans, liver, eggs, poultry, legumes, and grains, or you can get them via supplementation.
10 nutrients that you may be missing include calcium, vitamin D, potassium, and fibre and vitamins A, C, E and K, along with choline and magnesium. Sometimes when you're nutrient deficient, the body starts craving a specific food as a way of signalling what it needs.
You're not eating right
An extreme example of this is a disorder called pica which leads to extreme cravings of non-food items like clay. This condition may arise due to a chronic iron deficiency. In fact, a vitamin B12 deficiency can cause mood swings and lead to binge eating.
People with vitamin B12 deficiency can have neurological symptoms and/or damage without anemia (lack of red blood cells). General physical symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency can include: Feeling very tired or weak. Experiencing nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Weakness, tiredness, or lightheadedness. Heart palpitations and shortness of breath. Pale skin. A smooth tongue.
You may get hungry because your body thinks it needs more fuel. But the real problem is that you have trouble changing food into fuel. “Polyphagia” is the word doctors use for extreme hunger and can be a symptom of diabetes. You also may lose weight, pee more, and feel more tired.
The bottom line. A drop in blood sugar can be one of many reasons why you're feeling hungry shortly after a meal. Making adjustments to your diet and lifestyle — such as how much, how fast, and what you eat — can help to keep your hunger more balanced.
B vitamins (especially B1, B2, B3, B5, and B6) have potential for appetite suppression. B vitamins can be found in food sources such as milk products, green/leafy veggies, beans, legumes and seeds. Vitamin C can help increase absorption of iron from the food we eat, and this can help stabilize appetite.
A deficiency in magnesium may play a role in some intense cravings. Our magnesium intake in this country has dropped dramatically below the recommended 500 mg daily amount. Today, the average American only consumes 175–225 mg of magnesium per day.
Overall, B vitamins are regarded as essential supplements to curb sugar cravings. Zinc is an essential mineral that plays a vital role in your metabolism and energy, as well as the digestion of your food. It regulates the production of insulin. A zinc deficiency may result in sugar cravings and an increased appetite.
When you don't have enough vitamin D, you feel hungry all the time, no matter how much you eat. That is because low levels of vitamin D interfere with the effectiveness of leptin, the appetite hormone that tells you when you are full.
What are 2 signs of extreme hunger? Extreme hunger can make you feel shaky and irritable. You may also experience feeling sweaty, clammy, and have a rapid heart rate.
Diet. Some people can develop a vitamin B12 deficiency as a result of not getting enough vitamin B12 from their diet. A diet that includes meat, fish and dairy products usually provides enough vitamin B12, but people who do not regularly eat these foods can become deficient.
There are certain foods that also need a cut-down in case of vitamin B12 deficiency. “Some foods and drinks can interfere with vitamin B complex intake like alcohol, caffeine and processed foods, etc should be avoided completely,” Shah added.
Magnesium is used in the regulation of blood sugar, insulin and dopamine which makes it an essential mineral for managing sugar cravings.
Deficiency of Vitamin B12 is also a reason for increased sugar cravings. Eating a bowl of fresh homemade curd can help you with this.