EFFECT OF DIETARY CALCIUM IN ADULTS

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. It has been shown that intracellular calcium (Ca) is a regulating factor in fat metabolism in humans. Increases in intracellular Ca cause an increase in fat storage and a decrease in fat utilization. Methods to regulate intracellular Ca in fat cells may be a new strategy in the prevention and/or treatment of obesity. The active form of vitamin D, calcitriol, stimulates an increase in intracellular Ca. By suppressing calcitriol, intracellular Ca will decrease causing an increase in fat utilization. One mechanism that causes the suppression of calcitriol is by increasing dietary Ca. By increasing the amount of extracellular Ca in the blood stream, the thyroid gland is stimulated to release calcitonin, which is a hormone that suppresses calcitriol. Dietary calcium could also cause excretion of unabsorbed fat in stool. This study will examine the effect of calcium supplementation and energy restriction on weight loss. Our goal is to determine how dietary calcium in combination with energy deficit affects energy metabolism and balance, body weight and composition, and lipid metabolism. The specific aims of the proposed research are: 1. To determine how high calcium diet affects energy metabolism and balance. 2. To determine how high calcium diet affects body weight and composition. 3. To explain how dietary calcium affects lipid metabolism.