We hear these phrases all the time.  An overweight person may say, "I have very low metabolism."  A super-skinny person will say that their metabolism is very high. Metabolism refers to the chemical reactions that occur in living organisms necessary to sustain life.  So what role does calcium play in metabolism?

Calcium is an essential element, involved in at least 300 metabolic processes.  We need it for our bones and teeth.  Calcium enables our muscles to contract.  It is also critical to basic cell physiology.  Calcium deficiency can cause rickets, poor blood clotting, osteoporosis and kidney damage.  Calcium can be found in many foods: milk, cheddar cheese, canned fish, watercress, spinach, yogurt, oranges, potatoes and apples.

What role does calcium play in metabolism?  Studies have shown that an increase in calcium can help increase metabolism and decrease body fat.  Higher calcium levels bind to fat and result in less fat absorption.  Less fat means less weight.  One study presented mice with a restricted calorie diet.  The study showed that mice who were given calcium supplements lost 42% of their body fat, whereas those without only lost 8%.

Not only can calcium assist in the weight loss war, it can also help you feel better overall.  Calcium is needed for the release of neuro-chemicals like serotonin and norepinephrine.  It also activates other enzyme systems in the body. Optimum calcium intake would be approx. 1200 mg per day along with a healthy, low fat diet. Vitamin D is essential to absorption of calcium.  This idea of calcium helping increase metabolism and losing weight gives a whole new meaning to the question, 'Got Milk?'