Discover When You Should See a Nutritionist

People who want to improve their body composition usually go see a nutritionist. But consulting with this professional has many other benefits as well. We’ll share them with you in this article.
Discover When You Should See a Nutritionist

Last update: 16 April, 2021

Certain health problems could be prevented or managed with a proper diet. In fact, eating a balanced diet, along with exercising regularly, are some of the best ways to stay healthy. In this regard, you should definitely see a nutritionist to improve your health.

Although many people still associate the concept of seeing a nutritionist with weight loss goals, this isn’t always the case. This professional is also capable of giving good information in the form of dietary strategies to improve people’s day-to-day lives, make them easier, or prevent future diseases.

You should see a nutritionist if you want to lose weight

Nowadays, this is probably one of the most common reasons why people consult this type of professional. Excess weight negatively affects a person’s health and lifestyle. As such, it’s important to fix this situation as soon as possible.

A nutritionist can prove very helpful if you want to lose weight. They’ll be able to tailor a diet to your needs to help you achieve an optimal body composition without starving yourself, experiencing hunger pangs, or food cravings.

Currently, most clinical nutritionists know all about current trends, such as intermittent fasting, carbohydrate cycling, calorie deficit, and ketogenic diet, among others, which have all been shown to aid weight loss. However, it’s essential for a professional to adapt them to each person’s needs.

A representation of Intermittent fasting.
Intermittent fasting isn’t a diet, but a protocol.

For example, according to a study published in Clinical Nutrition ESPEN, intermittent fasting is effective in improving body composition. However, some people experience hunger pangs and cravings to eat when they implement it. The professional will be able to assess this situation and offer other more appropriate strategies adapted to each person’s needs.

A nutritionist can treat metabolic disorders

Many of the people who suffer from metabolic disorders, such as diabetes, simply follow the prescribed pharmacological treatment without making dietary changes. But these changes can reduce the need for medication in many cases, and are even capable of achieving significant rates of remission.

In order to solve a metabolic disorder, the professional will need to analyze the person’s particular case. Then, they can propose a few diet changes to achieve greater insulin sensitivity, as well as improve physiological reactions. Seeing a nutritionist can help patients learn to live or cope with certain conditions.

People can see a nutritionist to improve cancer treatment

Cancer is one of the most feared diseases in the Western world. Despite scientific breakthroughs, experts still haven’t found a cure. This is due to its interindividual variations that complicate its management.

Current treatment protocols involve large doses of drugs. However, the modification of lifestyle habits can increase the chances of survival.

In fact, a study published in the journal Clinics states that some protocols, such as intermittent fasting, could help increase the effectiveness of drugs. This protocol sets autophagy, which functions as a tumor suppression mechanism, in motion.

A nutritionist with a patient.
Seeing a nutritionist can aid the treatment of certain diseases.

However, if you suffer from cancer and are undergoing treatment, it’s extremely important for you to see a nutritionist before starting any dietary protocol. The professional will be able to assess your particular case and propose the best solution for you.

Keep in mind that not all pharmacological treatments are the same. Therefore, you need to adapt your nutrient intake to your particular case.

Conclusion: seeing a nutritionist is very useful

As you can see, seeing a nutritionist can be very useful, as doing so can improve the prevention or management of various diseases. In fact, you could benefit from this professional even if you suffer from thyroid or cardiovascular problems or want to boost your sports performance.

Due to what we shared in this article, you shouldn’t associate consulting a nutritionist simply with weight loss. Remember that these professionals have many other functions!


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


  • Santos HO, Macedo RCO. Impact of intermittent fasting on the lipid profile: Assessment associated with diet and weight loss. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2018 Apr;24:14-21. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2018.01.002. PMID: 29576352.
  • Antunes F, Erustes AG, Costa AJ, Nascimento AC, Bincoletto C, Ureshino RP, Pereira GJS, Smaili SS. Autophagy and intermittent fasting: the connection for cancer therapy? Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2018 Dec 10;73(suppl 1):e814s. doi: 10.6061/clinics/2018/e814s. PMID: 30540126; PMCID: PMC6257056.

This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.