Calcium pyruvate is a dietary supplement that has been promoted for improving athletic performance and for treating obesity and cataracts. For each of these areas, the evidence is scant, with small sample sizes and inconsistent results. Some claims do not make physiological sense. In addition, the daily dose provided by calcium pyruvate supplements (3 to 6 g per day) is considerably lower than the therapeutic dose used in most studies.
Sources
According to the Health Library, your body makes all the pyruvate that it needs. Therefore, pyruvate is not an essential nutrient. It can be found in food, with a typical diet providing 100 mg to 2 g per day. An apple is the best source, containing about 450 mg pyruvate. Beer and red wine provide about 75 mg per serving. For comparison, most calcium pyruvate supplements contain 500 to 1,000 mg per dose.
Weight Loss
In the body, pyruvate is an end-product of glucose (sugar) breakdown. Pyruvate is shunted to mitochondria for metabolism and energy production. According to Pharmacist's Letter, supplement marketers are pushing pyruvate as a "metabolism enhancer," but this does not make pharmacological sense. Pyruvate does not increase metabolism. In one study, patients taking 22 to 44 g pyruvate in place of dietary carbohydrate intake and in combination with a low-calorie diet lost more weight than the placebo group---but only 1.5 lbs. over six weeks. Other research has shown no effect on body weight or body composition. According to the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, more evidence is needed to rate calcium pyruvate as being effective for weight loss.
Athletic Performance
The evidence to support calcium pyruvate for improving athletic performance is even weaker. The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database reports that preliminary clinical research suggests taking high-dose dihydroxyacetone plus pyruvate increases arm and leg endurance. However, other research suggests that pyruvate, alone or in combination with creatine, does not improve performance. The database also notes that although pyruvate is often used for muscle development, preliminary research suggests pyruvate does not affect muscle precursor cells, called satellite cells. These satellite cells are thought to cause muscle hypertrophy. More evidence is needed to rate calcium pyruvate as being effective for athletic performance, according to the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database.
Cataract Treatment
According to Mayo Clinic, the only known treatment for cataracts is surgery. A review of pharmacological strategies in the Indian Journal of Ophthalmology reported that, in an in vitro study of rat lenses, pyruvate delayed cataract formation. However, they point out that larger, prospective clinical studies in humans are needed.
Dosing
According to the Health Library, a typical therapeutic dose of pyruvate is 30 g per day. In studies, dosages of 6 g to 44 g daily have been used. The Pharmacist's Letter points out, however, that most pyruvate supplements contain only about 500 mg to 1,000 mg per capsule. To achieve the 30 g therapeutic dose, you would have to take 30 capsules, at 1,000 mg per capsule, per day, at an average cost of about $180 per month.
Safety/Side Effects
The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database reports that calcium pyruvate is possibly safe when used appropriately and short-term. It cautions against use during pregnancy or lactation, due to insufficient reliable information on safety.
The large doses used in studies---22 to 44 g per day---can cause significant gastrointestinal side effects, such as diarrhea, bloating and flatulence.
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