Best Metabolic Vitamins and Supplements Worth Taking
Written by: Jennifer Chesak, MSJ
Medically reviewed by: Jared Meacham, PhD, RD, CSCS
Your metabolism affects everything from your energy level to your weight and body composition, so it's no surprise "metabolic supplements" are everywhere right now. But which ones actually support your metabolic health, and which are just hype? Here's what's worth considering.
If you do any social media scrolling and you have an interest in health and wellness, the algorithm may be bombarding you with posts about “metabolic vitamins” or “metabolic supplements.”
The variety out there can get a bit overwhelming. So you might be wondering what actually works and what these supplements do. Are they worth taking?
First, vitamins and minerals are essential micronutrients. You can get them from the foods you eat. But if your diet is deficient in certain micronutrients, taking supplements might help.
Many supplements are marketed as helping with your metabolism. Indeed, some supplements can support your metabolism by impacting how your body manages its energy resources. But others are just hype.
In this article, we explore metabolic products, metabolic health supplements, and more, along with guidance on how to choose the right products for you.
If you do any social media scrolling and you have an interest in health and wellness, the algorithm may be bombarding you with posts about “metabolic vitamins” or “metabolic supplements.”
The variety out there can get a bit overwhelming. So you might be wondering what actually works and what these supplements do. Are they worth taking?
First, vitamins and minerals are essential micronutrients. You can get them from the foods you eat. But if your diet is deficient in certain micronutrients, taking supplements might help.
Many supplements are marketed as helping with your metabolism. Indeed, some supplements can support your metabolism by impacting how your body manages its energy resources. But others are just hype.
In this article, we explore metabolic products, metabolic health supplements, and more, along with guidance on how to choose the right products for you.
What Metabolic Vitamins and Supplements Can Help With
Your body needs a mix of macronutrients and micronutrients for optimal nutrition. We get these from the foods we eat.
- Macronutrients are the nutrients your body needs in the highest quantities. They include protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Are you thinking, “Hey, what about fiber?” Fiber falls under the carbohydrate category.
- Micronutrients are the nutrients your body needs in smaller quantities, but they are still essential. These include vitamins and minerals.
You'll often see the terms metabolic vitamins and metabolic supplements used interchangeably. “Vitamin” is sometimes used loosely to refer to a certain supplement. Technically, vitamins are micronutrients your body needs to function. Supplements is the broader category, which can include vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other compounds.
Metabolic vitamins refer to supplements containing vitamins, particularly those that play a role in energy metabolism.
Metabolic supplements is the wider term for products marketed as supporting your metabolism and overall metabolic health. In practice, some may offer a genuine benefit when paired with a healthy diet and lifestyle but they work best as reinforcement, not a replacement.
How Metabolism Works
Metabolism is the combination of all the chemical processes your body uses to convert nutrients into energy and how it uses that energy to function.
Metabolism is involved in movement, cognitive function, heart rate, circulation, breathing, body temperature, and more.
You might think of metabolism as simply how many calories you burn. And you might be wondering how to burn more for weight management. But your metabolism has four main components. They’re broken down in the following table.
Understanding the 4 Main Components of Metabolism
| Component | Definition | % of metabolism |
|---|---|---|
| Basal metabolic rate (BMR) | The number of calories your body needs (and burns) to keep you alive and functioning at rest | 60% to 70% |
| Thermic effect of food (TEF) | The energy your body uses to digest, absorb, and otherwise process the nutrients you consume | 8% to 15% |
| Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) | The calories you burn during everyday activities that aren’t exercise | 15% to 50% |
| Exercise activity thermogenesis (EAT) | The calories you burn during exercise activity | 15% to 30% |
The macronutrients and micronutrients you eat provide your body with energy. Then your body either stores that energy in your cells or uses it to do its work. Again, discussions around metabolism often center on how to increase energy usage as a form of weight management.
A central regulator of that usage is adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPk). AMPk is an enzyme that acts as an energy sensor. When activated, AMPk flips the switch from energy storing (anabolic) pathways to energy burning (catabolic) pathways, which helps regulate energy balance. To boost metabolism, you need to activate AMPk.
Two processes help activate AMPk:
- Exercise and movement
- Certain dietary strategies
Vitamins, minerals, and other supplements can support your dietary strategies for revving your metabolism.
But supplements aren’t magic bullets. A healthy diet and lifestyle practices provide the foundation for your metabolic health.
Start with these metabolism-supporting basics:
- Build and maintain muscle mass with strength training
- Move more throughout the day, e.g., take the stairs, walk more, stand often
- Get your heart rate up with regular cardio exercise throughout the week
- Prioritize optimal sleep
- Manage everyday stress
- Eat adequate protein to support muscle mass and overall health
- Eat whole and minimally processed foods
- Cut back on ultra-processed foods as much as possible
We cover more about nutritional strategies below.
Food First: Nutrients that Support Metabolism Naturally
Food is your friend for metabolism support. Eating a balanced diet with a variety of whole and minimally processed foods is the best way to get the nutrients your body needs. Here we explore some of the key macronutrients and micronutrients that support your metabolism the most.
Macronutrients
Your body needs a mix of protein, fat, and carbohydrates to function properly and to support your metabolism.
Protein
Protein is a clear winner for the TEF portion of your metabolism. You’ll burn more energy from consuming this macronutrient than you will from the others. However, you need all three macronutrients for optimal functioning.
Fat
When considering fats, omega-3 fatty acids can help support your metabolism by increasing your BMR. They also support fat oxidation (burning) and support muscle, which is a big boon for metabolism.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates get a bad rap sometimes in diet culture. But we need carbs, just as we need fats and protein. One way to support your metabolism with carbohydrates is to up your fiber intake. Fiber feeds your gut bacteria, which then produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).
SCFAs help suppress your appetite, support mitochondrial function, and improve insulin sensitivity. This means your cells respond well to insulin, a hormone that helps cells uptake glucose to be used for energy or stored in a different form for when needed down the road.
Micronutrients
Now we’ll explore the vitamins and minerals that support your metabolism the most.
Vitamins
- B vitamins 1, 2, 3, and 5 help your mitochondria, which are the little engines that power your cells, convert substrates (e.g., fat or glucose) into a usable form of energy called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Vitamin B9 helps build new cells and maintains processes that allow ATP production. And vitamin B12 improves oxygen delivery.
- Vitamin D helps improve insulin sensitivity. It also activates AMPk, flipping the switch from energy storage to energy burning.
Minerals
- Calcium activates AMPk.
- Chromium enhances insulin sensitivity, which helps improve your cells’ ability to access energy.
- Iodine supports thyroid hormone production, which is a metabolism regulator.
- Iron helps deliver oxygen to your cells and is necessary for ATP production.
- Magnesium improves insulin sensitivity and supports ATP production.
- Zinc supports thyroid hormone production and helps your cells respond to it.
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Selenium supports insulin signaling and thyroid hormone metabolism and combats inflammation.
Vitamins, Minerals, and When You Might Need a Supplement
Ideally we’d get all our micronutrients from food. But many factors can lead to low or deficient levels.
Vitamin B12, for example, is found almost exclusively in animal foods. So if you’re a vegan, you might be deficient, unless you eat fortified foods. Food sensitivities, allergies, cultural and personal preferences, and more can similarly shape what you eat and where your diet falls short.
Just because micronutrients support your metabolism, however, does not mean that you should overload on supplements containing them. Even though we think of vitamins and minerals as beneficial, excessive intake could lead to toxicity. Consulting your provider before adding vitamins or other supplements is always a good idea.
They can evaluate you for potential nutrient deficiencies through testing or symptom analysis, and guide you on the best course of action.
How to Choose Metabolic Health Supplements Safely
Once you’ve confirmed with your clinician that a supplement (or combination) might be helpful, product. Your provider can recommend a specific brand or product. But the following questions can help you evaluate your options.
Is the product making unrealistic claims?
Metabolic supplements aren’t the magic bullets that marketing claims would have you believe. They can support your metabolism, but they can’t overhaul it. So watch out for products that make bold claims and avoid the following:
- “Detoxes”: Your body has natural detox systems built right in; you don’t need a product for this.
- “Fat-burners”: The supplement shelves are loaded with products that claim to “burn fat.” Most lack scientific evidence, according to research, so skip these.
Has the product undergone third-party testing?
Third-party testing means that an independent lab has evaluated the product to ensure it contains the ingredients (and the amounts) it says it does (and nothing else). Testing also evaluates a product for unsafe levels of impurities, such as pesticides, heavy metals, and more. Look for products that have certifications, such as NSF Certified, USP Verified, and ConsumerLab.com Approved.
Does the product have transparent labeling?
You don’t want a product that hides what’s in it. Transparent labeling means that the packaging lists all ingredients, rather than just a phrase such as “proprietary blend” that doesn’t disclose what’s inside.
Is the product reputable?
GMP Certification indicates that the brand follows Good Manufacturing Practices to ensure quality. You can also search whether a brand has received any warning letters from the Food and Drug Administration for any marketing practice violations, such as making inappropriate medical claims that a supplement can cure a condition or disease. The Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot are also great places to look for independent ratings, reviews, or any potential red flags.
How to Build a Supplement Routine with Veracity Products
The following are some Veracity products with ingredients that support your metabolism. All Veracity supplements are manufactured in the United States with third-party tested ingredients made in FDA-reviewed NSF- and GMP-certified facilities, and tested for heavy metals.
Protein pick
A serving of Metabolic Power Protein powder gives you 20 grams of plant-based protein from organic peas, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds. It also features MyoVera, a plant-based combination of chromium and amylopectin that helps your body better use protein for muscle building and repair.
It’s free of added sugar and has a subtle vanilla-cinnamon flavor that works well in smoothies and more. The cinnamon has the added benefit of helping to stabilize blood sugar, which helps your mitochondria function better.
AMPk activator
Metabolism Ignite helps give your metabolism an edge. It contains Metabolaid, green coffee bean extract, and magnesium. These ingredients support your gut microbiome, which helps improve SCFA production, and they help activate AMPk.
Micronutrient support
If you’re experiencing any micronutrient deficiencies, consider adding Metabolic Multivitamin to your daily stack. It features an alphabet-full of vitamins, including A, B complex, C, D, E, and K2. For minerals, it delivers calcium and magnesium.
BMR booster
Omega 3 Super + supports your intake of omega-3 fatty acids and ups your vitamin E, which supports cellular health.
Key Takeaways
- Metabolic vitamins and metabolic supplements can help support your overall metabolism.
- Food is the best place to start for getting the macronutrients and micronutrients your body needs. But if you’re deficient or need a boost, supplements can help.
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Veracity offers reputable and third-party tested supplements formulated to support your metabolism and overall health.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are metabolic vitamins?
Vitamins are part of the micronutrients your body needs. Most vitamins play a role in supporting your metabolism. Metabolic vitamins are supplements that help boost your intake of the micronutrients that support metabolism the most.
What vitamin is best for boosting metabolism?
The B vitamins and vitamin D are the ones with the most evidence for supporting your metabolism.
Which supplements boost metabolism after 40?
Forty is not a threshold that automatically calls for supplements. However, during midlife changes, including the menopause transition, your metabolism can slow down a bit. Supplements that can help include those that support your protein intake, help activate AMPk, or ensure that you’re getting all your essential vitamins and minerals.