March 11/Drug Week -- New research, "Calcium plus vitamin D supplementation and fat mass loss in female very low-calcium consumers: Potential link with a calcium-specific appetite control," is the subject of a report from Canada's Laval University.

"This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted to compare the effect of a 15-week weight-reducing programme (-2900kJ/d) coupled with a calcium plus vitamin D (calcium+D) supplementation (600mg elemental calcium and 5microg vitamin D, consumed twice a day) or with a placebo, on body fat and on spontaneous energy/macronutrient intake. Sixty-three overweight or obese women (mean age 43 years, mean BMI 32kg/m2) reporting a daily calcium intake <800mg participated in present study," scientists writing in the British Journal of Nutrition report.

"Anthropometric variables, resting energy expenditure and spontaneous energy intake were measured before and after the 15-week program. The calcium+D supplementation induced no statistically significant increase in fat mass loss in response to the programme. However, when analyzes were limited to very low-calcium consumers only (initial calcium intake The researchers concluded, "We propose that this change in lipid intake could be influenced by a calcium-specific appetite control."

Major and colleagues published their study in the British Journal of Nutrition ("Calcium plus vitamin D supplementation and fat mass loss in female very low-calcium consumers: Potential link with a calcium-specific appetite control." British Journal of Nutrition, 2009;101(5):659-63).

Additional information can be obtained by contacting G.C. Major, Dept. of Social and Preventive Medicine, Division of Kinesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Canada.

From the March 16, 2009, Prepared Foods E-dition