Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Second meal effects of dietary calcium and vitamin D

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 62, pages 872–878 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To determine the second meal effects of calcium and vitamin D on postprandial glucose, insulin, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and glycerol.

Methods:

Eight volunteers aged (mean±s.e.m.) 55.5±1.2 years and body mass index 29.0±1.6 kg/m2, completed a randomized within-subject design that compared a low calcium–low vitamin D breakfast and an isocaloric high calcium–high vitamin D breakfast (HCB). Four hours following each breakfast, a very low calcium standard lunch was ingested. Serial blood collections were made on the hour over a duration of 8 h. Postprandial responses were calculated as the percentage change (Δ) from the fasting value for breakfast meals, and the 4th hour breakfast value for each lunch, respectively. Non-parametric tests of significance were employed.

Results:

The change in glucose, insulin, serum ionized calcium (iCa2+) and intact parathyroid hormone was not different between the two breakfasts, or the two lunches. However, HCB resulted in a lesser suppression of NEFA that significantly carried over to lunch (P=0.036, Wilcoxon test). A similar pattern of change in glycerol did not attain overall statistical significance. ΔNEFA and Δglycerol were related at lunch (Spearman's r=0.52, P=0.04). Relative to breakfast, both lunches resulted in significantly higher glucose and insulin responses (P=0.011, Wilcoxon test).

Conclusions:

The data are suggestive of second meal effects of calcium and vitamin D. Our observations of higher glucose and insulin after lunch may include the involvement of second meal factors as well.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 1
Figure 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barger-Lux MJ, Heaney RP, Recker RR (1989). Time course of calcium absorption in humans: evidence for a colonic component. Calcif Tissue Int 44, 308–311.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boden G, Ruiz J, Urbain JL, Chen X (1996). Evidence for a circadian rhythm of insulin secretion. Am J Physiol Endo Metab 271, E246–E252.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brighenti F, Benini L, Del Rio D, Casiraghi C, Pellegrini N, Scazzina F et al. (2006). Colonic fermentation of indigestible carbohydrates contributes to the second-meal effect. Am J Clin Nutr 83, 817–822.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burdge GC, Jones AE, Frye SM, Goodson L, Wootton SA (2003). Effect of meal sequence on postprandial lipid, glucose and insulin responses in young men. Eur J Clin Nutr 57, 1536–1544.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clark CA, Gardiner J, McBurney MI, Anderson S, Weatherspoon LJ, Henry DN et al. (2006). Effects of breakfast meal composition on second meal metabolic responses in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Eur J Clin Nutr 60, 1122–1129.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coppack SW, Jensen MD, Miles JM (1994). In vivo regulation of lipolysis in humans. J Lipid Res 35, 177–193.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cummings NK, Soares MJ, James AP (2006). The acute effects of different sources of dietary calcium on postprandial energy metabolism. Br J Nutr 96, 138–144.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cummings NK, Soares MJ, Chan She Ping-Delfos W, James AP, Sivakumar P, Mamo JC et al. (2004). Gastric emptying of high calcium breakfast meals: potential effect of paracetamol (acetaminophen) on substrate oxidation rates. Austr Soc Study Obes 79, P25.

    Google Scholar 

  • English R, Lewis J (1991). Nutritional Values of Australian Foods. Australian Government Publishing Service: Canberra.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ercan N, Gannon MC, Nuttall FQ (1994). Effect of added fat on the plasma glucose and insulin response to ingested potato given in various combinations as two meals in normal individuals. Diabetes Care 17, 1453–1459.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Foster-Powell K, Holt SH, Brand-Miller JC (2002). International table of glycemic index and glycemic load values. Am J Clin Nutr 76, 5–56.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frape DL, Williams NR, Scriven AJ, Palmer CR, O'Sullivan K, Fletcher RJ (1997a). Diurnal trends in responses of blood plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin, and C-peptide following high- and low-fat meals and their relation to fat metabolism in healthy middle-aged volunteers. Br J Nutr 77, 523–535.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frape DL, Williams NR, Scriven AJ, Palmer CR, O'Sullivan K, Fletcher RJ (1997b). Effects of high- and low-fat meals on the diurnal response of plasma lipid metabolite concentrations in healthy middle-aged volunteers. Br J Nutr 77, 375–390.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frayn KN (1998). Non-esterified fatty acid metabolism and postprandial lipaemia. Atherosclerosis 141, S41–S46.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gunther CW, Legowski PA, Lyle RM, McCabe GP, Eagan MS, Peacock M et al. (2005). Dairy products do not lead to alterations in body weight or fat mass in young women in a 1-y intervention. Am J Clin Nutr 81, 751–756.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins DJ, Wolever TM, Taylor RH, Griffiths C, Krzeminska K, Lawrie JA et al. (1982). Slow release dietary carbohydrate improves second meal tolerance. Am J Clin Nutr 35, 1339–1346.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Landsberg L (2006). Feast or famine: the sympathetic nervous system response to nutrient intake. Cell Mol Neurobiol 26, 495–506.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee A, Ader M, Bray GA, Bergman RN (1992). Diurnal variation in glucose tolerance: cyclic suppression of insulin action and insulin secretion in normal-weight, but not obese, subjects. Diabetes 41, 750–758.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mathews JN, Altman DG, Campbell MJ, Royston P (1990). Analysis of serial measurements in medical research. Br Med J 300, 230–235.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morgan L, Hampton S, Gibbs M, Arendt J (2003). Circadian aspects of postprandial metabolism. Chronobiol Int 20, 795–808.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Norton K, Olds T (2000). Anthropometrica. University of New South Wales Press: Sydney.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robertson MD, Jackon KG, Fielding BA, Williams CM, Frayn KN (2002). Acute effects of meal fatty acid composition on insulin sensitivity in healthy post-menopausal women. Br J Nutr 88, 635–640.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sawaya AL, Fuss PJ, Dallal GE, Tsay R, McCrory MA, Young V et al. (2001). Meal palatability, substrate oxidation and blood glucose in young and older men. Physiol Behav 72, 5–12.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Soares MJ, Cummings S, Mamo JC, Kenrick M, Piers LS (2004). The acute effects of olive oil v. cream on postprandial thermogenesis and substrate oxidation in postmenopausal women. Br J Nutr 91, 245–252.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weihrauch JL, Tamaki J (1999). Provisional Table on the Vitamin D Content of Foods. Human Nutrition Information Service, United States Department of Agriculture: Beltsville, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolever TM, Jenkins DJ, Ocana AM, Rao VA, Collier GR (1988). Second-meal effect: low-glycemic-index foods eaten at dinner improve subsequent breakfast glycemic response. Am J Clin Nutr 48, 1041–1047.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xue BZ, Wilkison WO, Mynatt RL, Moustaid N, Goldman M, Zemel MB (1999). The agouti gene product stimulates pancreatic β-cell Ca2+ signalling and insulin release. Physiol Genomics 1, 11–19.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zemel MB (2002). Regulation of adiposity and obesity risk by dietary calcium: mechanisms and implications. J Am Coll Nutr 21, S146–S151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zemel MB, Richards J, Mathis S, Milstead A, Gebhardt L, Silva E (2005a). Dairy augmentation of total and central fat loss in obese subjects. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 29, 391–397.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zemel MB, Richards J, Milstead A, Campbell P (2005b). Effects of calcium and dairy on body composition and weight loss in African-American adults. Obes Res 13, 1218–1225.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zemel MB, Shi H, Greer B, Dirienzo D, Zemel PC (2000). Regulation of adiposity by dietary calcium. FASEB J 14, 1132–1138.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zemel MB, Thompson W, Milstead A, Morris K, Campbell P (2004). Calcium and dairy acceleration of weight and fat loss during energy restriction in obese adults. Obes Res 12, 582–590.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the skilled assistance of Dr AP James, and thank Murray Goulburn Co-operative Company Ltd for provision of the specialized milk. The study was funded by Dairy Australia, and conducted under the aegis of the ATN Centre for Metabolic Fitness.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Program of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

    M J Soares & W Chan She Ping-Delfos

Authors
  1. M J Soares
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. W Chan She Ping-Delfos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M J Soares.

Additional information

Contributors: MJS generated the idea, planned the study, analysed the data and wrote the paper. WCSP-D planned and prepared the test meals, executed the study, assisted with data analysis and writing of the paper.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Soares, M., Chan She Ping-Delfos, W. Second meal effects of dietary calcium and vitamin D. Eur J Clin Nutr 62, 872–878 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602803

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602803

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links