'I'm a Registered Dietitian, and This Is the Most Important Vitamin for Shedding Belly Fat'
Healthy fruit coming out of a vitamin
The never-ending push to get people to shed belly fat for aesthetic reasons has come under fire recently—and rightfully so. You don't need a six-pack to rock a bathing suit, and you deserve to love the skin you're in. However, getting rid of visceral fat, or the fat around the abs, has benefits that have nothing to do with looks.
"Arguably, when we are concerned with belly fat gain, we are not only concerned with our appearance change," says Tami Best, MS, RDN, IFNCP, a functional and integrative dietitian with Top Nutrition Coaching. "We are also deeply concerned about the shifts that having more of these harmful visceral fats can have on our health."
For instance, 2021 research indicated that visceral fat could increase the risk of heart issues. In 2021, Circulation published a study that found that even people with normal BMIs and excess abdominal fat still had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Plus, research published in February of 2024 linked higher levels of visceral fat in middle age with Alzheimer's, particularly in men.
Our habits, including diet, can significantly affect belly fat accumulation or reduction.
"There are no magic bullets for battling the midriff weight gain that becomes more and more prevalent with age," Best says, but adds, "Certain nutrients play a bigger role in preventing unwanted belly fat gain than others."
Best shared the vitamin she recommends to banish excess belly fat.
Related: 'I'm a Longevity Expert, and This Is the One Vitamin People Over 50 Should Stop Taking ASAP'
The Best Vitamin For Belly Fat Reduction
Best recommends ensuring you get the daily recommended amount of thiamin, also known as B1.
"It plays a critical role in carbohydrate metabolism," Best says. "This vitamin is activated to thiamin triphosphate (TTP), which is one of the enzymes that are needed in energy metabolism."
Here's what happens to the body when you consume thiamin: "Thiamin is absorbed from the small intestine," Best explains. "It is converted into its functional form known as TPP (Thiamin pyrophosphate) and used by the cells of our body in the Krebs cycle to generate energy."
Cool, right? Researchers are still learning more about how thiamin can affect belly fat. One animal study published in 2021 didn't find an effect on weight but indicated it might help with fat reduction—though it appeared those benefits were more specific to the liver than fatty tissue.
Still, this vitamin, which Best swears by to help trim belly fat, is a critical part of a well-balanced diet.
How To Get More Thiamin in Your Diet
While vitamins and supplements exist, Best recommends getting thiamin through diet.
"Thiamin is widely found in foods; however, it is possible for it to be destroyed with heat and also is sensitive to be damaged from certain preservatives such as sulfites," she says. "Adding wheat germ, ground flaxseed, hemp seeds or sunflower seeds to yogurt, smoothies, salads or cooked oatmeal can be a good way to get a boost of thiamin."
Looking for a quick grab-and-go snack? "Snacking on peanuts and pistachios is another good way to boost thiamin intake," Best explains.
She adds that pork, salmon and legumes are also good sources of thiamin. How much of it should you be getting? It depends.
Males over the age of 14 should get 1.2 mg of thiamin daily, females ages 14 to 18 should get 1 mg of thiamin daily and 1.1 mg after they officially hit legal adulthood. The exceptions? Pregnant and lactating people should consume 1.4 mg daily.
However, it's best to try not to consume it all at once. "Thiamin and all B vitamins are water-soluble," Best says. "Because of this, if we don’t use it, it is excreted in our urine. For this reason, we need to have a regular source of thiamin spaced throughout the day."
Other Tips For Losing Belly Fat
As Best said, there are no magic solutions for trimming belly fat. A holistic approach is vital, and that includes getting plenty of vitamins. For instance, thiamin is not the only complex B vitamin needed for a well-rounded diet.
"The B-complex vitamins...are highly involved in our metabolism and our ability to use food/nutrition for energy and not store it as unwanted fat," Best says. "This will help stabilize blood sugar and blood insulin levels, which need to happen to prevent weight gain in our centers."
According to the Cleveland Clinic, other B vitamins include:
Riboflavin (B2), found in meat, dairy and dry-roasted almonds
Niacin (B3), found in chicken breast and marinara sauce
Pantothenic acid (B5), found in shitake mushrooms and fresh-cooked bluefin tuna
Pyridoxine (B6), found in boiled potatoes and bananas
Biotin (B7), found in pork chops and sweet potatoes
Folate and folic acid (B9), found in raw spinach and cooked broccoli
Cobalamin (B12), found in eggs and cheddar cheese
However, shedding belly fat comes down to more than just diet. "Ultimately, we need to consciously shift our eating and exercise habits to accommodate the changing metabolic needs of our aging bodies," Best explains.
Keyword: Consciously. This shift is more than a physical one. "Oftentimes, adults struggle with the mindset that, 'I am exercising and eating like I did when I was younger, but I am still gaining belly fat,'" Best says. "Your eating and exercise habits need to be different because your body is different."
If you need help with goals around shedding belly fat, know that a personal trainer and registered dietitian are great resources for this—so don't be afraid to seek out their guidance.
Up next, get moving with three trainer-backed exercises to get rid of belly fat.
Sources
Tami Best, MS, RDN, IFNCP, a functional and integrative dietitian with Top Nutrition Coaching
Prevalence of abdominal obesity and its association with cardiovascular risk among the adult population in Burkina Faso: findings from a nationwide cross-sectional study. BMJ Open.
Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation.
Thiamin. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Thiamin.
Metabolic Effects of Vitamin B1 Therapy under Overnutrition and Undernutrition Conditions in Sheep. Nutrients.
A Close Look at Each of the B Vitamins: Benefits, Food Sources and More. Cleveland Clinic
