Micronutrients are similar to macronutrients in that they are needed for survival, but are needed in much smaller amounts. Micronutrients (also called "micros") are VITAL to our overall health and disease prevention.
Our bodies cannot make micronutrients on their own, so they must be obtained through our diet - whether that be through food or supplementation. They regulate energy production and our body's metabolism, so I guess you could say they are kinda important!
Take a guess at how many people worldwide have a micronutrient deficiency...
2 billion.
2 billion people worldwide are deficient in micronutrients! While it is nearly impossible to get all of the micronutrients we need from whole foods alone (due to array of foods in our diet, less nutrients in the soil, etc), it is SO easy to supplement these missing micronutrients!
Deficiencies in these micronutrients can cause an increase in inflammation, which causes an increase in cortisol (our bodies' stress hormone). Cortisol is the enemy of fat loss and muscle gain, so if either of those are your goal (which I'm guessing since you are reading this, you care about those), then it is going to be VERY difficult for you to see success!
Symptoms of a micronutrient deficiency can include fatigue, headaches, slowed metabolism, reduced ability to fight sickness and disease.
While micronutrients are ALWAYS important for our overall health, if you are in a calorie deficit (cutting/dieting phase), you actually need MORE micronutrients than someone who is a maintenance. The same is true for someone who is looking to build muscle tissue - more micronutrients are needed to keep up with the number of metabolic processes happening in the body!
If fat loss is your goal, here's another reason for you to take your micronutrients: they help to increase the speed at which our cells travel, which actually increases our metabolism (aka the number of calories you burn throughout the day). And if that's not enough, they also help with the breakdown of stored energy, both glycogen (stored carbs) and stored body fat! 👏🏼
Now, maybe fat loss isn't your goal...but you do care about your overall health, right? I mean you probably wouldn't be reading this right now if you didn't. Did you know that if you're not getting in enough micronutrients, your body will start to pull them from wherever it can find them? Meaning for example, if you're not getting in enough calcium daily (because we also need micronutrients for our energy levels, so it is going to be used for that first and foremost), your body will start to pull from its calcium stores (aka in your bones), making them more likely to become weak and brittle. 🤯
SO, if you have any questions about why micronutrients are important, don't hesitate to reach out!
And if you're curious about where I recommend starting with supplementation, I always recommend these packs, which contain a multivitamin, antioxidant, probiotic, fruits & veggies cap, CoQ10, and essential fatty acids! Purchasing a high quality source of each micronutrient separately will run you upwards of $100/month (trust me, I used to do it!)
Let me know if you have any questions!
Good reading your post