Effects of Calcium Supplementation in Post‐Menopausal Women Participating in the Curves Fitness & Weight Loss Program

149 post-menopausal women (53.5±6 yrs; 46.3± 5 % BF; 34.2±6 kg·m2) were randomly assigned to an exercise group (E) or an exercise and higher carbohydrate (HC) or higher protein (HP) diet group. Subjects participated in a 3d/wk exercise program and were randomly assigned in a double blind fashion to ingest a placebo (P), 800 mg/d of calcium as carbonate (CC); 800 mg/d of calcium as citrate and malate and 400 IU/d of Vitamin D (CM), or (H) containing 1,000 mg/d of calcium as citrate, 600 mg/d of green tea extract (50% EGCG), and 200 mg/d of 7-Keto DHEA. DEXA measurements were obtained at 0, 10, and 14 weeks and analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA. Data are presented as means ± SD changes from baseline. After 10 weeks, subjects who dieted experienced a greater (p<0.05) loss in body mass (E −0.4±1.6; HC −3.9±3.3; HP −4.0±3.8 kg), fat mass (E −0.7±2.0; HC −3.2±2.5; HP −3.2±2.8 kg), and percent body fat (E −0.8±2.0; HC −1.9±2.0; HP −1.8±2.0 %). Intermittent dieting maintained weight (E −0.4±2.2; HC −4.9±4.7; HP −4.1±4.3 kg), fat mass (E −1.2±2.1; HC −3.6±3.1; HP −3.5±3.5 kg), and percent body fat loss (E −1.2±2.2; HC −2.2±2.4; HP −2.0±2.2 %). Overall fat mass loss was greatest in the CM group (P −2.6±2.1; CC −3.2±2.8; CCM −3.6±4.1; H −1.6±3.0 kg) particularly when on the HC (P −3.4±2.3; CC −3.9±3.5; CCM −4.9±2.7; H −1.3±2.7 kg) and HP (P −2.6±1.8; CC −2.9±2.4; CCM −4.8±5.6; H −4.0±2.5 kg) diets. Effective weight loss and maintenance was seen in all groups, while supplementation with CM promoted greater weight loss particularly when combining exercise with dieting.