Calcium and Weight Loss

The Truth About Calcium

Before delving into the debate about calcium and weight loss, it is imperative to first understand what calcium is and its role in the human body.

1. Calcium supplies the building material for bones and teeth. Sufficient amount of this mineral throughout a person’s life can help prevent the bone-thinning disease called osteoporosis. This disease is often the cause of hip and knee fractures later in life.
2. Calcium plays a significant role in the relaxation and constriction of blood vessels. This function is critical for a lifetime of healthy cardiovascular function.
3. Recent studies have found that drinking milk may protect against colorectal cancer, a leading cause of cancer death.

The Calcium and Weight Loss Connection

The subject of losing weight with an adequate calcium intake came about by a study funded by the Dairy Council. At the end of the study, researchers made an assumption that the calcium stored in fat cells plays a vital role in the regulation of how fat is stored and broken down by the body. Specifically, researchers concluded that by eating three to four servings of low fat dairy products a day, the body will increase its fat burning engine to allow for an increase in calorie expenditure within the fat cells. The end result is you lose weight. In other words, this study indicates that the more calcium present in a fat cell, the more fat will be burned away.

It is important to note that the study also included a calorie restricted diet. Dr. Zemel, the head researcher of this particular clinical trial, has been criticized for the outcome connecting reduction in body weight with dairy products because the questionable corporate self-interest of the Dairy Council.

The Debate

Before heading out to the closest supermarket for some skim milk, low fat yogurt or cheese, a closer look at calcium and weight loss is necessary, especially since marketing efforts have been relatively strong for getting you to buy dairy products. In fact, the National Dairy Council has spent over 200 million dollars since 2003 to promote the idea that milk can help people lose weight. Due to this extreme push, many organizations have questioned the weight loss and calcium study. For example, the Obesity Society ran a study and found no reduction in weight with dairy intake. In April 2005, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the result of an another study showing that no drastic change in weight was observed over the course of one year among its young, healthy female subjects consuming different amounts of low fat dairy.

Recommended Amounts and Calcuim Sources

While the dairy industry, advertisers and swarm of research groups debate this inconclusive subject matter, calcium continues to be an important part of a healthy diet and to the function of critical systems in the body, as mentioned above. Dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese remain the top pick when it comes to calcium intake. For individuals who are lactose intolerant, the primary non-dairy food sources of calcium are green leafy vegetables, broccoli, almonds, and fortified juices. Adult men and women younger than 50 years of age require 1,000 milligrams (mg) a day. For age 51 and above, the recommended amount is 1,200 mg a day. The following list of approximate calcium values will help quantify daily totals:

• 1 cup of broccoli = 100 to 135 mg
• 1 ounce of cheese = 210 – 250 mg
• 1 cup cottage cheese = 100 – 200 mg
• 1 cup low fat yogurt = 350 – 450 mg

Many recipes include ingredients that supply sufficient sources of calcium.

Summary

Whether or not calcium-rich diets favor burning fat rather than storing it, achieving the recommended daily amount of calcium is an important goal for disease prevention and healthy bones and teeth. The possible effect of calcium and weight loss is worth ensuring that you are getting the 3 to 4 servings of low fat dairy each day, of which nearly half of women and men are lacking. While calcium supplements were not found to be effective in the weight loss studies, supplementation may be necessary to guarantee adequate calcium intake for the other important health functions. Efficient absorption of calcium supplement requires that doses be divided and taken at different times of the day according to total recommended requirement. Finally, since diet and fitness are key to a healthy diet plan; be sure to incorporate healthy regimes of both in your daily lifestyle.