Saturday, October 17, 2009

Fat Loss And Calcium

By Katherine Crawford M.S.

The BBC aired a documentary touting the benefits of calcium. And one of the benefits was its ability to block dietary fat from being digested.

Does this mean that extra calcium in your diet could aid fat loss?

Probably not. After looking at the numbers, I can honestly say that the amount fat you could potentially lose would not be that noticeable. Moreover, I have concerns about blocking the absorption of fat.

After all, healthy dietary fat is essential for any successful fat loss program.

Furthermore, extra calcium in the form of supplements can have the following effects:

1. Reduced iron absorption. The human body is a very complex organism. If you do X there will always be effect Y. And calcium is NO exception here. Take too much calcium and you'll impair the absorption of iron. And iron is critical for bringing oxygen to all your tissues?

2. More calcium loss. How so??? Well, if you take antacids they have certain minerals which can actually cause a net calcium loss. So the next time you pop some of those tablets thinking they'll help out with calcium levels, think again.

3. Kidney stones. Although this usually doesn't affect healthy individuals, if you have any history of kidney disease then you have to see a doctor before supplementing with calcium. Stones are very painful?

4. Too much D. Many calcium supplements are super fortified with vitamin D. And if you have hefty amounts of vitamin D coming from other sources in your diet, you risk overdose. Now vitamin D is an exceptional nutrient, but too much of anything is NOT good for you.

A little extra calcium is not going to hurt you. But you do have to be careful with large amounts of supplementation or you run the risk of damaging your health. And remember that when supplementing with any type of nutrient, there are always risks to consider.

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