Contrary to popular misconception, it looks like extra calcium consumption doesn't help you lose weight. According to a new study covered today by Reuters:
The study, which was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, involved 340 overweight or obese adults with an average age of 39. Half were randomly assigned to take 1,500 milligrams of calcium carbonate every day with meals for two years. The rest were given placebo capsules for comparison.
At the outset, most participants were getting less than the recommended 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day.
After two years, the researchers found, there were no significant differences between the calcium and placebo groups in average weight, fat mass or waist size -- all of which increased slightly in both groups.
There's just no way around it. You can take all the supplements in the world, but if you want to lose fat, there's just never going to be a better, healthier, more sustainable way than eating less.
Oh yeah, and maybe a little exercise while you're at it.
But what if I got my calcium *with* calories? Say, adding a bowl of ice cream each day...
ReplyDeleteNot that I think we should all start chugging class after class of milk, but is it possible that there is something in milk/dairy that allows for weight loss in addition to just calcium? Perhaps it isn't calcium itself, but dairy products as a whole that help with weight loss. Kinda like how taking vitamins doesn't make you healthy, but eating fruits and vegetables loaded with vitamins just might. I did find it ironic that this study didn't involve food at all, and yet these obese people got even fatter over the course of two years.
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