Adding Calcium & Vitamin D Helps to Achieve Weight Management Goals

A number of previous studies suggest that higher calcium and/or vitamin D intake may associate with lower body weight and better metabolic health.  Wei Zhu, from the Shanghai Institute of Health Sciences (China), and colleagues enrolled 53 overweight and obese men and women with very low calcium consumption in a twelve-week long study.  All subjects followed an energy-restricted diet (~500 kcal/d); half the participants were given supplemental calcium (600 mg elemental calcium ) and vitamin D (125 IU D3).  The researchers observed a significantly greater decrease in fat mass loss in the calcium + D group, as compared to the S- control group. Further, the calcium + D group exhibited greater decrease in visceral fat mass and visceral fat area.  The study authors conclude that: “Calcium plus vitamin D3 supplementation for 12 weeks augmented body fat and visceral fat loss in very-low calcium consumers during energy restriction.”