A report published in the January, 2007 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that women who supplemented their weight loss program with calcium and vitamin D had better lipids and lipoprotein profiles than those who did not take the supplements.

Researchers at Laval University in Quebec provided 63 overweight or obese women whose calcium intake was low with a placebo or a supplement containing 600 milligrams calcium and 200 international units vitamin D per tablet to be taken twice daily during a 15 week reduced calorie weight loss intervention. Physical examinations conducted at the beginning of the study ascertained the participants’ height, weight, body mass index, and blood pressure. Blood samples were analyzed for cholesterol and triglycerides, and an oral glucose tolerance test which measured plasma glucose and insulin was administered.

A correlation was observed between calcium intake and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol at the beginning of the study. At the study’s conclusion, there was a significant reduction in low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, total to HDL cholesterol ratio, and LDL to HDL ratio in the group who received the calcium and vitamin D supplements compared to the placebo group. A tendency for lower total cholesterol and triglyceride levels was also observed in the supplemented group. Fasting plasma glucose and insulin had also decreased by the end of the study, but did not differ significantly between the groups.

The authors suggest that the decrease in lipid and lipoprotein concentrations could be due to a reduction in fatty acid absorption and increase in fecal fatty acid content, among other factors. “It is suggested that in the clinical context of obesity treatment, calcium supplementation could be recommended in women with inadequate calcium intake to improve the cardiovascular disease risk profile,” the authors conclude.

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