Effect of calcium intake on fat oxidation in adults: a meta‐analysis of randomized, controlled trials

Abstract

Calcium intake is likely to increase body fat loss during energy restriction. Part of this effect may be explained by increased fat oxidation in the presence of a similar energy balance, yet studies have not provided a conclusive answer. Therefore a meta-analysis was performed to determine whether chronic or acute high calcium intake increases fat oxidation. Randomized controlled trials of high calcium intake in human adults where measures of fat oxidation were taken were included. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed on outcomes expressed as standardized mean differences. Chronic high calcium intake increased fat oxidation by a standardized mean difference of 0.42 (95% confidence intervals: 0.14, 0.69; P= 0.003; estimated to correspond to an 11% increase), displaying low heterogeneity (I(2) = 18%), which was more prominent when habitual calcium intake was low (<700 mg d(-1) ). Acute high calcium intake increased fat oxidation by a standardized mean difference of 0.41 (0.04, 0.77; P = 0.03), with low heterogeneity (I(2) = 19%), yet sensitivity analysis revealed that this effect was relatively weak. In conclusion, chronic high calcium intake is likely to increase rates of fat oxidation. The effects of acute high calcium intake appear to point in the same direction, but further work is needed to permit a greater degree of certainty.

The influence of calcium supplementation on substrate metabolism during exercise in humans: a randomized controlled trial

“…The sample size was based on the effect size (11%) for lipid utilization obtained by meta-analyses 4 and the typical error of the maximum rate of lipid utilization during exercise of 9%. 26 This calculated that 13 participants should provide statistical power above 80% with an alpha level of 0.05.…”

“…Epidemiology links high-calcium intake with reduced body fat percentage, 1 and interventions demonstrate accelerated loss of adipose tissue. 2 Alongside decreased dietary fat absorption, 3 mechanisms possibly contributing to this effect are elevated lipid utilization 4,5 and/or reduced appetite. [6][7][8] Consumption of highcalcium meals have been shown to enhance postprandial lipid utilization by some 8,9 but not others.…”

“…6,7,10 Meta-analyses suggest that evidence for chronic (>7 d) calcium intake (increase of~958 mg/d) and lipid utilization is stronger than acute effects. 4 The reduction in appetite observed with acute calcium intake [6][7][8] may translate into a chronic reduction in appetite. [11][12][13][14] The mechanism(s) underlying a change in fat utilization with calcium intake, in humans, is not clear.…”

“…24 The effect size that an elevated calcium intake has on lipid oxidation tends to be greater when under energy deficit. 4 Melanson et al used diet and exercise to produce negative energy balance after 7 d of high-calcium intake. 18 The respiratory quotient was only significantly lower during low-intensity (bench stepping) exercise with high-calcium intake.…”

Dairy products and total calcium intake at 13 years of age and its association with obesity at 21 years of age

“…Observational studies have been showing results of a negative relationship between dairy consumption and body mass index (BMI) [17][18][19][20][21][22], body fat mass [23,24], abdominal circumference [21,[25][26][27] and skin folds [21,26] both cross-sectionally [21,[25][26][27] and longitudinally [17][18][19][20][22][23][24], however none of these studies evaluated calcium intake effect. Additionally meta-analysis of observational studies [15,16] and randomized controlled trials [16,28,29], in children and adolescents, showed discrepant results. Although beneficial influence of calcium intake in long-time obesity is supported mostly by cross-sectional studies there is the need to confirm this effect with more longitudinal and experimental studies.…”