Calcium is a mineral mostly associated with bone health, but it also plays a role in a number of other functions in your body, including nerve transmission, muscle contraction and insulin secretion. Moreover, calcium shows promise in boosting weight loss by reducing appetite; however, research shows mixed results.
Calcium Status
According to Nutra-Ingredients, scientists at Laval University in Canada investigated the impact of calcium plus vitamin D supplementation on fat loss in obese women with low calcium intakes. They observe that women consuming less than 600 mg of calcium per day taking calcium plus vitamin D supplementation for 15 weeks experienced a significant decrease in body fat compared with those ingesting a placebo. Researchers believe that inadequate calcium intake increases your appetite, whereas sufficient calcium intake decreases your desire to eat.
Milk Supplementation
In a study published in the January 2011 issue of the "British Journal of Nutrition," researchers at Laval University found different results. They examined the impact of milk supplementation on appetite markers and weight loss in obese women with low calcium intakes. Participants consumed a calorie-reduced diet with milk supplementation, which contained 1,000 mg of calcium, or a placebo for six months. Scientists discovered that both groups lost body fat, but those in the milk supplementation group experienced a small increase in ghrelin, a hormone that increases appetite.
Appetite Hormones
Scientists at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark studied the effects of dairy calcium and calcium supplements on appetite. They found that subjects consuming a test meal high in calcium experienced no changes in cholecystokinin, glucagon-like peptide 1 and ghrelin, all hormones involved in appetite, compared with those ingesting a test meal low in calcium. The findings were reported in the March 2007 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition."
Interactions
If you decide to supplement with calcium, keep in mind that it may interact with certain medications, including blood pressure medications, digoxin and diuretics, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Consult your health care provider before taking calcium supplements.
References
- Nutra Ingredients; Calcium May Boost Weight Loss, But Only If You're Deficient; March 2009
- "British Journal of Nutrition"; Milk Supplementation Facilitates Appetite Control In Obese Women During Weight Loss: a Randomized, Single-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial; J.A. Gilbert et al.; January 2011
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Effect of Dairy Calcium or Supplementary Calcium Intake on Postprandial Fat Metabolism, Appetite, and Subsequent Energy Intake; J.K. Lorenzen et al.; March 2007
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Calcium; 2011
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