The Most Important Thing for Weight Loss There are many ways to lose weight, but one of the most common methods is establishing a calorie deficit, meaning consuming fewer calories than your body burns per day.

Other research has found that vitamin D supplementation may help regulate mood and ease depression, especially if you are deficient.

"Don't get caught up in daily and weekly fluctuations on the scale. Even if you only lose one pound per month, that's 12 pounds down at the end of the year!" Losing weight and keeping it off is a long-term journey, but a little know—how and support can help set you up for success.

According to the NIH, research for various weight loss supplements ranges from few to small to large clinical trials, and those are of varying quality and sample size.

Certain supplements may also have benefits for specific health conditions as a complementary approach, including depression, digestive issues, heart disease, osteoporosis, and type 2 diabetes. Your doctor can help you decide if supplements may be beneficial for you.

Probiotics are microorganisms in foods, such as some yogurts, and some dietary supplements that help maintain or restore beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract.

The U.S. Institute of Medicine sets tolerable upper intake levels (ULs) for some of the vitamins. This does not prevent dietary supplement companies from selling products with content per serving higher than the ULs.

There are many indicators of health, and weight is just one of them. That said, weight loss is a popular goal for many people trying to improve their health. There are several benefits associated with losing a few pounds through healthy methods, like better blood sugar control, healthier blood pressure and lower chronic disease risk.

Vitamin C may also support eye health, including a reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Extra weight causes fat to build up around vital organs, making it harder for the body to fight against diseases like cancer, heart disease and now COVID-19.

Many common supplements do not have side effects when taken at typical doses for the short term. Yet per the NIH, some short- and long-term side effects can occur, particularly if taken at too high of a dose:

Less regulation leads to less available public information, the chance over the counter of outdated information, and the possibility of fraud.

Exercise has many other benefits. It can lift your mood, lower blood pressure and help you sleep better. Exercise helps you keep off the weight that you lose too. Studies show that people who maintain their weight loss over the long term get regular physical activity.

To assure supplements have sufficient quality, standardization, and safety for public consumption, research efforts have focused on development of reference materials for supplement manufacturing and monitoring.