Can Calcium Promote Weight Loss?
Reprint of an
article by
Dr. Lanny Schaffer
from the Article Codex website,
articlecodex.com
Introduction by Dr. Don Rose,
Writer, Life
Alert
--
A number of
sources now indicate that increasing the amount of calcium we ingest each day can
help us lose weight. The key seems to be taking more than the government RDA (that
is, more than 1000 mg per day), up to around 1200 to 1300 mg daily. Since taking
calcium has two
other substantial benefits as well (making bones stronger and helping to stave off
the bone disease called osteoporosis), you triple your chances of improving your
health by getting 1000-1300 mg of calcium a day. In short, to pump up your weight
loss plan, calculate and cut back calories… and count on calcium. --Don Rose
--
Most of us know that calcium builds strong teeth and bones. Exciting new research
has indicated that as calcium intake goes up body fat goes down.
Calcium helps reduce body fat in three ways:
* Calcium increases the amount of sympathetic nervous system (SNS) stimulation.
Your SNS is part of your "fight or flight" response which usually speeds things
up. Calcium intake can lead to an increase in metabolism.
* When calcium levels are high, fat cells are more able to release stored fat into
the blood stream. Conversely, when calcium levels are low fat cells are more likely
to be stored as fat.
* High calcium levels create a binding to fat resulting in a lower fat absorption.
When less fat is absorbed more is excreted.
How much calcium is enough?
* Studies show that optimal weight loss occurs in individuals who consume around
1200 mg per day along with a low fat diet.
* You should attempt to get the minimum recommended 1000 mg per day from low or
non fat dairy foods.
Some people take calcium supplements instead of getting their calcium from mother
nature. While studies have shown that calcium supplementation aids in fat loss those
who get their calcium from whole food sources get better results.
Calcium is already part of a healthy diet. Now there's a greater incentive to get
your full calcium quota. Calcium may not be the magic fat loss bullet we all hoped
for. It can, however, increase metabolic rate and inhibit the physical systems responsible
for absorbing and making fat.
Dr. Lanny Schaffer
is an Exercise Physiologist and the President of The
International Fitness Academy
. For more nutrition, weight loss and fitness ideas go to
http://www.aerobic-exercise-coach.com.
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Attribution-NoDerivs 2.5 License.
The information provided is, to the best of our knowledge, reliable and accurate.
However, while Life
Alert
always strives to provide true, precise and consistent information, we cannot guarantee
100 percent accuracy. Readers are encouraged to review the original article, and
use any resource links provided to gather more information before drawing conclusions
and making decisions.
Dr. Don Rose writes books, papers and articles
on computers, the Internet, AI, science and technology, and issues related to seniors.
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