Abstract
There has been much interest in the mechanisms by which calcium may attenuate weight gain or accelerate body fat loss. This review focuses on postprandial energy metabolism and indicates that dietary calcium increases whole body fat oxidation after single and multiple meals. There is, as yet, no conclusive evidence for a greater diet induced thermogenesis, an increased lipolysis or suppression of key lipogenic enzyme systems. There is however convincing evidence that higher calcium intakes promote a modest energy loss through increased fecal fat excretion. Overall, there is a role for dietary calcium in human energy metabolism. Future studies need to define threshold intakes for metabolic and gastrointestinal outcomes.
Highlights
Body weight and body energy content remains quite stable in most adults for long periods of time; despite daily fluctuations in energy intake and energy expenditure
There are three main contributors to total energy expenditure (TEE) of man: basal metabolic rate (BMR) has the largest energetic demand accounting for 60–70% of TEE in sedentary individuals, diet induced thermogenesis (DIT) is a variable 10% and physical activity makes up the remainder
It is our opinion that calcium modulates human energy metabolism
Summary
Body weight and body energy content remains quite stable in most adults for long periods of time; despite daily fluctuations in energy intake and energy expenditure This requires the presence of regulatory processes able to match fuel supply to energy requirements. Based primarily on studies with the agouti mouse model, Zemel et al [5] proposed that intracellular calcium (iCa2+) held the key to fat deposition and obesity. According to this early scheme (Figure 1) increases in dietary calcium would, via PTH, chronically lower iCa2+ in the adipocyte. [Ca2+]i—intracellular calcium, FAS—Fatty acid synthase, UCP—uncoupling protein, DIT—diet-induced thermogenesis)
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