Need to improve your cholesterol profile? Make sure you get enough calcium

One recent study involving weight loss appears to show that high calcium intake, whether in pill or dairy food form, will help reduce blood pressure and improve one's cholesterol profile. So was it the weight loss that did it, or the calcium in the dairy? Scientists at Laval University in Canada designed a study to help make that distinction (Am J Clin Nutr 2007;85:54-9).

They recruited 63 women whose Body Mass Index fell between 27 and 40 (overweight to obese) and were otherwise healthy. In addition, these women got less than 800 milligrams of calcium per day through their regular diet. They were randomly assigned to one of two groups: a group adding two tablets of a standard 600 mg of calcium + vitamin D supplement to their diet each day, and a control group who took two placebo tablets each day. All 63 women were also put on a nutritionally balanced diet that cut 700 calories per day from their previous caloric intake.

Over the next 15 weeks the women met regularly with a dietitian to help them manage their new diet and also had their blood pressure taken and their blood drawn for cholesterol testing.

As you might expect, all the women lost weight and saw improvements in their cholesterol levels and their blood pressure. But those women who were taking the calcium saw a greater improvement in their cholesterol scores. This held true even when the scientists controlled for other factors like the amount of total body fat lost by each subject.

The researchers note that it is still difficult to know whether calcium-induced improvements can be seen with increased consumption of dairy products or only to calcium itself.

What this means for you

We would far rather eat great food than take a pill. On the other hand, most people do not get enough calcium in their diet, which can lead to low bone density and osteoporosis. This is one time where we'll say that if you think that you're not getting enough calcium, you might want to check with your doctor about a referral to a dietitian.

First posted: January 17, 2007