Final answer:
Calcium, aided by vitamin D, can influence weight loss by improving insulin sensitivity, reducing inflammation, and affecting fat metabolism. Dietary calcium supplementation has been shown to counteract metabolic disorders, which potentially helps in managing body weight.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question of how calcium (combined with vitamin D) could cause weight loss involves understanding the roles these nutrients play in the body. Calcium is absorbed in the intestines with the help of activated vitamin D. A deficiency in vitamin D can lead to a decrease in absorbed calcium, resulting in depletion of calcium stores in the skeletal system and contributing to conditions such as osteoporosis.
Focusing on weight loss, calcium intake can influence body weight by affecting fat metabolism. Studies have shown that dietary calcium supplementation may counteract certain metabolic disorders by improving insulin sensitivity, reducing inflammation, and decreasing fat mass. Specifically, research indicates that this combination might impair the contraction and reduce peripheral resistance, which could lower blood pressure. Also, calcium intake has been associated with decreased oxidative stress and inflammatory markers while increasing anti-inflammatory markers such as adiponectin. It is these changes in adipose tissue and blood that may, in turn, contribute to weight loss or prevent weight gain.