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Calcium'is the Key to Staying Slim After 50'
Daily Mail
05-16-07
FOR years, middle-aged women have been told to take calcium and vitamin D tablets to protect their bones.
But researchers believe there could be another incentive staying slim.
Women over 50 who regularly take calcium and vitamin D supplements are less likely to gain weight than those who do not, according to a study.
Researchers found that those who had previously been deficient in the nutrients got the greatest benefits.
Experts said that the effect was down to an improved breakdown of fat cells and an increase in the production of leptin, a chemical that curbs the appetite.
Having a better balance of nutrients in the diet could also stimulate the metabolism to work The report, in the Archives of Internal Medicine journal, claimed that helping women maintain a stable weight in their 50s could be the key to stemming the obesity epidemic in the West.
Scientists from healthcare organisation Kaiser Permanente in California studied 36,282 postmenopausal women age 50 to 79.
The patients either received a daily dose of 1,000mg of calcium and 400 international units of vitamin D, or a dummy pill. They were weighed once a year for approximately seven years.
At the end of the study, those who took the supplements weighed an average of 0.28 pounds less than those who did not.
The effects were even more pronounced among women who had previously not been getting enough calcium. They were an average of 0.42 pounds thinner if they took the tablets. The researchers said: 'Because weight loss or prevention of weight gain is likely to have significant health benefits for middleaged women, early to middle menopause may be a critical period of life in which to slow the trajectory of weight gain.' Nutritionist Marilyn Glanville said: 'Calcium seems to reduce fat absorption and increase leptin, the substance that curbs appetite.
Older women are encouraged to take calcium supplements to prevent osteoporosis, so this research suggests there may be a double benefit. In addition, we've seen recent reports that vitamin D may play a part in preventing breast cancer and other disorders.' In the UK, middle-aged women are recommended to consume at least 700mg of calcium every day.
But diet accounts for very little of the vitamin D that actually makes it into the bloodstream exposure to sunlight produces higher levels.
The Food Standards Agency recommends 10mcg supplements for those who are elderly, pregnant, Asian, get little sun exposure or eat no meat or oily fish. However, it found that daily supplements of 25mcg are unlikely to cause harm.
Daily Mail
05-16-07
FOR years, middle-aged women have been told to take calcium and vitamin D tablets to protect their bones.
But researchers believe there could be another incentive staying slim.
Women over 50 who regularly take calcium and vitamin D supplements are less likely to gain weight than those who do not, according to a study.
Researchers found that those who had previously been deficient in the nutrients got the greatest benefits.
Experts said that the effect was down to an improved breakdown of fat cells and an increase in the production of leptin, a chemical that curbs the appetite.
Having a better balance of nutrients in the diet could also stimulate the metabolism to work The report, in the Archives of Internal Medicine journal, claimed that helping women maintain a stable weight in their 50s could be the key to stemming the obesity epidemic in the West.
Scientists from healthcare organisation Kaiser Permanente in California studied 36,282 postmenopausal women age 50 to 79.
The patients either received a daily dose of 1,000mg of calcium and 400 international units of vitamin D, or a dummy pill. They were weighed once a year for approximately seven years.
At the end of the study, those who took the supplements weighed an average of 0.28 pounds less than those who did not.
The effects were even more pronounced among women who had previously not been getting enough calcium. They were an average of 0.42 pounds thinner if they took the tablets. The researchers said: 'Because weight loss or prevention of weight gain is likely to have significant health benefits for middleaged women, early to middle menopause may be a critical period of life in which to slow the trajectory of weight gain.' Nutritionist Marilyn Glanville said: 'Calcium seems to reduce fat absorption and increase leptin, the substance that curbs appetite.
Older women are encouraged to take calcium supplements to prevent osteoporosis, so this research suggests there may be a double benefit. In addition, we've seen recent reports that vitamin D may play a part in preventing breast cancer and other disorders.' In the UK, middle-aged women are recommended to consume at least 700mg of calcium every day.
But diet accounts for very little of the vitamin D that actually makes it into the bloodstream exposure to sunlight produces higher levels.
The Food Standards Agency recommends 10mcg supplements for those who are elderly, pregnant, Asian, get little sun exposure or eat no meat or oily fish. However, it found that daily supplements of 25mcg are unlikely to cause harm.
