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The lowdown on coral calcium
Coral calcium is a dietary supplement said to be derived from remnants of living coral that have fallen from coral reefs. These coral remnants are limestone, which coral organisms originally manufacture as a protective shell. Since the coral reefs are protected by law, coral calcium is made by grinding up limestone
that no longer contains live organisms. Limestone has no unique health properties. It is only calcium carbonate, with some magnesium and trace amounts of many other minerals.
If you have had the good fortune of catching one of the infomercials starring, Robert R. Barefoot, you are familiar with the claims for this product. Barefoot, who describes himself as a scientist, sells various books and coral calcium supplements. He would like you to believe that coral calcium obtained only from Okinawa, Japan can cure more than 200 illnesses, including heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, and cancer; but this is not true. In fact, laboratory analyses have shown that coral calcium supplements contain
significant amounts of lead and other heavy metals and some authorities are concerned that this supplement could trigger very dangerous reactions in people with allergies to shellfish because coral reefs are often home to such organisms.
In June 2003, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charged the marketers of coral calcium with making unsubstantiated claims that “go far beyond existing scientific evidence regarding the recognized health benefits of coral calcium”. They have filed suit in federal court seeking a temporary restraining order and an asset freeze and are also sending warnings to many web site operators who are making similar claims.
Bottom Line: Calcium intake is an important factor in bone health. Food is the best source of calcium and using calcium fortified foods or a calcium supplement to meet the DRI (dietary reference intakes) of 1,000-1,200 mg per day is recommended. Using coral calcium as a treatment does not seem prudent or safe!
Coral calcium is a dietary supplement said to be derived from remnants of living coral that have fallen from coral reefs. These coral remnants are limestone, which coral organisms originally manufacture as a protective shell. Since the coral reefs are protected by law, coral calcium is made by grinding up limestone
that no longer contains live organisms. Limestone has no unique health properties. It is only calcium carbonate, with some magnesium and trace amounts of many other minerals.
If you have had the good fortune of catching one of the infomercials starring, Robert R. Barefoot, you are familiar with the claims for this product. Barefoot, who describes himself as a scientist, sells various books and coral calcium supplements. He would like you to believe that coral calcium obtained only from Okinawa, Japan can cure more than 200 illnesses, including heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, and cancer; but this is not true. In fact, laboratory analyses have shown that coral calcium supplements contain
significant amounts of lead and other heavy metals and some authorities are concerned that this supplement could trigger very dangerous reactions in people with allergies to shellfish because coral reefs are often home to such organisms.
In June 2003, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charged the marketers of coral calcium with making unsubstantiated claims that “go far beyond existing scientific evidence regarding the recognized health benefits of coral calcium”. They have filed suit in federal court seeking a temporary restraining order and an asset freeze and are also sending warnings to many web site operators who are making similar claims.
Bottom Line: Calcium intake is an important factor in bone health. Food is the best source of calcium and using calcium fortified foods or a calcium supplement to meet the DRI (dietary reference intakes) of 1,000-1,200 mg per day is recommended. Using coral calcium as a treatment does not seem prudent or safe!
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