September_2008

A Bit of Background:
Are Calcium and Weight Loss Linked? In the late 1980s, scientists were studying the effects of calcium on high blood pressure. They were hoping to show that increasing calcium intake would lower people's blood pressure.

        In the preliminary tests, it did lower blood pressure -- and the scientists were also amazed to find that the average participant in the study lost 11 pounds of weight, suggesting that calcium and weight loss may be related.

        Surprisingly, the calcium in this experiment was given by feeding the participants 2 pounds of yogurt a day -- yogurt with plenty of calories and fat!

        Encouraged by these results, researchers started conducting other studies to see if calcium and weight loss were linked.

        A recent review of studies by the United States National Institutes of Health showed some very interesting results in terms of calcium and weight loss.

        People who were overweight ate little amounts of calcium. People who lost a lot of weight ate the most calcium. The Mechanism Behind Calcium and Weight Loss         Much more research on calcium and weight loss is needed -- that's for sure. Yet, the research so far is promising.

        However, on the relationship between calcium and weight loss, no clear mechanism has been found.

        One theory is that not getting enough calcium in your diet puts your body into something like the starvation mode you get when you don't eat enough food.

        Lack of calcium may cause changes in hormones and the mechanism that stores fat, and thereby causes you to gain weight. Getting enough calcium may reverse this process and enable you to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. What Does This Mean To You?         First, if you're trying to lose weight, we recommend you talk with your doctor. Ask your doctor if increasing your intake of calcium could help you lose weight. 

From: http://www.coralcalciummadesimple.com/calciumandweightloss.html

---