Daily Calcium Intervention for a Weight-Loss Program Resulted in More Significant Decreases in Body Weight, BMI, Body Fat Mass, and Body Fat Percentage.
Consumption of a dairy calcium rich diet confers protection against loss of lean body mass during energy restriction (Hi-Ca group: -0.7±1.1 kg; Control group: -1.2±1.3 kg). This outcome may be attributable to the high proportion of BCAA (branched chain amino acid, including leucine, isolucine and valine), found in dairy proteins. They play a specific metabolic role as energy substrates and in the regulation of muscle protein synthesis.
In this study, negative correlations with PTH levels did reflect the differences in the Hi-Ca group (Hi-Ca group: -5.3±10.4 pg/mL; Control group: +11.5±14.3 pg/mL). For instance, in a study on 302 healthy volunteers, Parikh et al. found significantly lower plasma 1,25(OH)2-D3 levels in obese than in non-obese subjects.
The strengths of this study include the objectively investigated the relationship between calcium intake and body composition, body fat distribution and serum lipid profile in overweight or obese subjects. We found a high calcium diet increases the effectiveness of an energy-restricted diet for weight loss in overweight people resulted in more significant decreases in body weight, BMI, body fat mass, and body fat percentage. However, physical activity were based on self-reported data,
baseline physical characteristics were similar in the Hi-Ca group and control group. All subjects were asked to keep regular physical activity and life style. We did not tract physical activity during intervention. Future research could examine their physical activity levels during study.
Obes Res Open J. 2015; 2(2): 73-80. doi: 10.17140/OROJ-2-112
