Alternative Health Blog

In a 26-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, intervention study involving 96 obese women (BMI: 28 kg/m(2)) between the ages of 18 and 55 years, supplementation with a multivitamin and mineral supplement was found to reduce body weight, body mass index, fat mass, total cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol, increase resting energy expenditure and HDL-cholesterol, and borderline significantly reduce respiratory quotient, as compared to placebo. Subjects who received supplementation with 162 mg/d calcium alone were found to have reductions in LDL and increases in HDL cholesterol. The authors conclude, "...in obese individuals, multivitamin and mineral supplementation could reduce BW and fatness and improve serum lipid profiles, possibly through increased energy expenditure and fat oxidation.   Reference: "Effects of multivitamin and mineral supplementation on adiposity, energy expenditure and lipid profiles in obese Chinese women," Li Y, Wang C, et al, Int J Obes (Lond), 2010 Feb 9; [Epub ahead of print]. (Address: Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China