Calcium Pyruvate for Weight Loss

Calcium pyruvate has been shown in studies conducted by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to increase energy and reduce up to 48 percent of body fat when combined with a low-fat diet. Pyruvate increases your body's metabolic rate and helps you to avoid regaining weight when the diet is finished.

Scientific Studies

• In a six-week University of Pittsburgh Medical Center study, 34 overweight women and men ate low-fat diets, while some took 22 to 44 grams of pyruvate and others a placebo. Those who took the pyruvate supplement lost 38 percent more weight than the placebo group and experienced a 48-percent loss of body fat.

  Because calcium pyruvate helps transport glucose from the bloodstream to the muscles to aid in the production of ATP, it also improves exercise endurance. Therefore, taking pyruvate supplements can enhance the effects of combining diet and exercise programs.

Pyruvate is Natural

• Pyruvate is a form of sugar created by the body when it breaks down protein and carbohydrates. In addition to being a product of the digestive process, pyruvate can be found in cheese, red apples, red wine and dark beer.

  It will probably be necessary to take pyruvate supplements to yield the desired weight loss. The high doses used in the studies may be unsustainable, but lower doses of 3 to 5 g have also shown good results.

Side Effects

• If taking high doses of pyruvate, you might experience intestinal problems, such as bloating, gas or diarrhea.