Ask Dr. Mike: Calcium Supplementation & Can Inflammation Cause Weight Gain?

Here you'll find the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions posed by Healthy Talk fans.

Listen in because what you know helps ensure healthy choices you can live with. Today on Healthy Talk, you wanted to know:

Can inflammation really be a cause of weight gain? I recently read in an article by a doctor that it can. What are your thoughts?

The fat you have in your body works like a factory that pours out inflammatory molecules. These molecules have a metabolic affect that can slow down your metabolism.

Your fat cells within your body can be used to store fat for energy. However, your body needs to know when to hold onto those fat cells to store them and when to burn them. It makes sense that there is a neuro-hormonal connection in different parts of your body.

Dr. Mike believes that inflammation can disrupt the normal fat cell signals, causing the fat cell to hold on to more fat. However, if you were to do something to reduce some of the inflammation, can you lose weight? This is where it get a little tricky.

Is calcium supplementation necessary? In other cultures where they don't supplement calcium, do they have a higher risk of bone breaks and fractures?

In older adults, calcium supplementation is crucial. It's important to have the right dose and to remember that you shouldn't be taking just calcium, this can lead to build up in your arteries. Dr. Mike suggests taking calcium with vitamin K2 and vitamin D.

If you have a health question or concern, Dr. Mike encourages you to write him at askdrmikesmith@radiomd.com or call in, toll-free, to the LIVE radio show (1.844.305.7800) so he can provide you with support and helpful advice.