April 2, 2007 – Professor Angelo Tremblay, of Université Laval, is so convinced of the benefits of calcium on bad fats that he suggests making a health claim on products containing it. “A low calcium intake can increase the risk of excess body fat,” he argues.
This obesity specialist presented a conference on calcium at the Montreal International Food Show (SIAL).
Supplementing with calcium and vitamin D helped improve the lipid profile in women who followed a diet, according to the results of a clinical trial the researcher conducted.
More than 60 women who were overweight or obese dieted for 15 weeks. Half of them took a supplement of 600 mg of calcium each day, combined with 200 IU of vitamin D to promote absorption of the mineral. The other half were taking a placebo.
At the end of the clinical trial, the level of bad blood cholesterol (or low-density lipid level) was significantly lower in those who had taken the supplement, compared to that in the control group. Their lipid profile (total cholesterol, triacylglycerol and high density lipid levels) was also better.
Women in the supplement group lost slightly more weight, on average, than the rest – four pounds compared to three pounds. The researcher then analyzed the natural calcium intake that came from the foods consumed by the participants. Those in the control group who consumed the least calcium lost one kilogram, compared to five kilograms in those whose diet contained the most in the calcium group.
According to Angelo Tremblay, these results confirm those of previous studies, which concluded to the beneficial effect of calcium on satiety. According to him, milk could even provide better results “because of the satiating effect provided by the proteins in milk”.
Martin LaSalle – PasseportSanté.net
1. Major GC, Alarie F, et al, Supplementation with calcium + vitamin D enhances the beneficial effect of weight loss on plasma lipid and lipoprotein concentrations, Am J Clin Nutr, January 2007, Vol. 85, No. 1, 54-9.