Calcium has been known to have a role in the development of bones for a long period if time. Researchers at the university of Alberta and McGill University have recently made a new discovery: calcium may actually play an important role in the regulation of lipids as well.
Researchers came across the discovery while studying mice in a calcium lacking diet. Those mice lacking in calcium had high levels of fats and cholesterol. Changing amounts of calcium intake actually results in the body being fooled into producing excessive amounts of fats and cholesterol. The researchers compared this effect to a thermostat in a house. While a certain room in a house may be a desired temperature, the thermostat may not be able to detect the temperature accurately which results in the thermostat being turned on anyway to result in warming the house anyway.
Although this is a novel discovery, the connection between calcium and the regulation of fats and cholesterol in the body remains tenuous, with no connection at this time to human beings. There has not been a definitive link between these findings and the inprovement in high cholesterol through the introduction of calcium supplements. Researchers have been given a four year grant and hope to continue their work in this area.
Calcium-binding protein, lacking in lipid-heavy mice–leads to intriguing calcium, cholesterol link! #HealthStatus
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Key Points:
- 1Scientists were intrigued when they discovered mice, with blood that was actually pink with an excess of lipids, also lacked a specific calcium-binding protein.
- 2Dr.Marek Michalak, a biochemistry professor, at the University of Alberta, expressed surprise that there would be a connection between cholesterol and calcium.
- 3It’s possible that the body is overcompensating for perceived lacks in cholesterol, brought on by calcium’s manipulations.
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