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 Coral Calciumupdated 11/16/2006
by Karl Loren When you start thinking about "calcium," you should also think about what use do you intend for that calcium. The most advanced use of calcium would be to maintain bone mass, or even to add bone mass, so as to prevent or reverse osteoporosis. Calcium of the cheapest possible type, such as Calcium Carbonate, may well be all that is needed for some uses of calcium, but if you want to prevent or reverse osteoporosis, then you need to get into the truly advanced forms of calcium. The first vital fact about calcium, and bones, is that the bone has two very different parts. There are "pieces" of calcium and other minerals. These are NOT "alive." These pieces of calcium, and other non-living minerals, are held in a matrix, or you could call it a "fishnet." The matrix is made of living materials, such as collagen. You don't get living matrix material from Coral Calcium. In the case of bone mass decreasing, it would seem obvious that the non-living part of the bone -- the actual "calcium" is not deficient, but that there is some problem with the living matrix which holds the calcium particles in place. First, let's look at some simple science related to calcium. The most common form of calcium on our planet is calcium carbonate. Here is information on the composition and structure of coral. A small, invertebrate animal with tentacles resides within a hard coral frame. It resembles an anemone, but unlike the anemone it (the polyp) can withdraw into the coral frame (the corallite) when disturbed. These tiny polyps secrete a limey substance that hardens into the coral structure. This substance is calcium carbonate (CaCO3). A small quantity of specialized proteins is also present in the coral skeleton. There are two common forms of calcium carbonate, aragonite and calcite. They differ in their crystal shape, yet their chemical formula is the same. The denser of the two forms, aragonite, is found in the hard or scleractinian corals. Whether calcium carbonate becomes aragonite or calcite depends on the "seed crystals" growth pattern. Proteins secreted by the polyp undoubtedly play a role in the growth of the crystals of aragonite and probably determine whether aragonite or calcite forms. Within the earlier study is this section: Aragonite is a constituent of many sea creatures' shell structures; a curious development since calcite is the more stable form of calcium carbonate. Most bivalve animals and corals secrete aragonite for their shells and pearls are composed of mostly aragonite. The pearlization and iridescent colors in sea shells such as abalone are made possible by several minute layers of aragonite. Other environments of formation include hot springs deposits, cavities in volcanic rocks, caves and mines. So, Coral Calcium is nothing more than the cheap calcium carbonate! The coral "shell" is rock -- lived in by an animal. The rock "grows" because of the process of crystallization. Already you should be able to conclude that this whole product is a fraud. If coral is made up of this type of calcium there is certainly no living matrix involved. It may be a fine source of calcium carbonate, but this form of calcium does not remain stable when it is no longer under pressure, such as under water. You should know that calcium in its most simple forms, is nothing more than rock. The body cannot use rocks, or digest them. So, the body has a natural method of handling this -- it is called "chelating." You can buy "chelated minerals" or "chelated calcium." That simply means that the calcium is "mixed with" or "coated with" some material, usually an amino acid, which the body regards as food. Since the body considers this stuff food, the body will try to use it. Calcium citrate is simple calcium carbonate "chelated" with citric acid. The citric acid is considered food by the body, so calcium citrate is much more easily absorbed into the body than calcium carbonate -- plain. Your stomach can also "chelate" calcium, and does, naturally. But, the older you get the less your body can chelate minerals and thereby make them useful. Years ago I was able to sell "calcium oratate." This is a patented substance, and the calcium in this case is not COATED with orotic acid, but the orotic acid is mixed in with the calcium. It was the most easily absorbed calcium I ever found -- but was banned by the FDA. (You can now order Calcium Orotate from Global Healing Center) This form of calcium is very carefully prepared to preserve the natural source of the living matrix found in the bones of cattle. In other words, cattle bones are ground under low temperature so as to not damage the living matrix. The grinding is done slowly, and makes the particles very tiny. This makes this particular type of calcium very easily absorbed. Because of the living matrix, this type of calcium actually adds to your bone mass. No other type of calcium has been shown to do that. Here is a typical lie by a Coral Calcium distributor: The point here is that the MATRIX is a living thing. The matrix is not made up of only non-living minerals. It is not illegal to put lies on the web -- many people do that. I have looked, but can find no place where some Coral Calcium distributor, or Barefoot, claims that coral is made up of a living matrix. Thus, Coral Calcium is rock. That's it! So, Coral Calcium is a competitive product. You may think that I am biased? Well, let's look at the science.
The fact that it comes from an area (Okinawa, Japan) where people are claimed to live very long lives. This cannot possibly be used in any logical way to prove that this calcium is the cause of any such longevity. However, this story makes for good reading. Any form of calcium will raise the pH level in the body. Coral Calcium makes a big claim that this is true. So what! Yes, it is true. Any form of calcium will do that! Except that the protein parts of Coral Calcium are actually acidic and cause acidity in the body -- the exact opposite from what the fraud-promoters promote. Why is coral calcium so much better than other forms of calcium?
The body doesn’t have to break down the coral calcium and restructure it into its own calcium. In essence, you can say that coral calcium is the same substance as the calcium you’ll find in your bones. While this is likely to be true, so what? But, in more truth, since there is no living matrix in coral, and there is in human teeth and bones, it would be false to say that coral and teeth are the same. Yes, they each have calcium in common, but only one has a matrix which is alive. The "trick" about calcium is getting it absorbed. That takes some substance that fools the body into thinking it is NOT rock, but food, and it takes particles that are small enough to be able to pass through the intestine. Coral Calcium seems to be a fraud. Here is pure tripe: Coral Calcium may hold the secret to lifelong health. Coral Calcium is found naturally embedded in the soil in Japan. When the Japanese drink the water, they’re taking in the coral calcium along with it. Coral Calcium is the only difference between their lifestyle and ours, and yet many Japanese live to 100 years old!! They have a much smaller rate of cancer and other terminal diseases. The coral calcium found naturally within their drinking water is the purest in form. Apparently this is nothing more than another sleazy multi-level-marketing company. Such companies usually are big on hype, very strong on emotion, and bankrupt on science or real value. Many of the frauds on the internet have the same characteristic. They use words for which no definition is possible, or where you don't know the word, and ignore that, or even where they just use some word with a meaning to them, but not one in the dictionary that you use. I see, now, that there are many knock-offs. Others are getting on the band-wagon. All are worthless. This fad will live for a while, making suckers out of all those who swallowed the hype, then die away, leaving the public a bit more skeptical of honest web merchants. I think I have a duty to my own business, and to other honest companies, to do my bit at exposing the bad ones. I had not found any scientific explanation of why Coral Calcium is supposed to be so good. Now, after some hours of research, I still find none. I find Coral Calcium referred to as "marine calcium" but that term has no meaning. It is psychobabble at work. Oh! Yes! There is a "definition" created by the promoters, but it is not in any technical dictionary about calcium. "Marine Calcium" has been invented by the Coral Calcium people, but now others are copying this same meaningless phrase. Perhaps you have some science on this? If so, send it to me. But, please, no hype. Many of the claims associated with Coral Calcium are NOT related to Coral Calcium, only, but to any form of calcium. You get excited, think that Coral Calcium is the ONLY form of calcium that does this? Not true. BLOOD - Calcium in the blood is essential for clotting by activating vitamin K (prothrombin) which is the first stage in wound healing. Yes, calcium is important. But, notice there is no claim here that Coral Calcium does this function any better than any other calcium -- deception! For someone to say Coral Calcium will cure cancer is a lie. Can Calcium Cure Cancer ? These people are putting deceptive headings on their articles and mostly avoiding making any claim of cure. This stuff will NOT cure, but it "might cure." So, they say the Coral Calcium may cure your cancer -- you are a sucker and fall for that. I even know good people who say this Coral Calcium is good stuff. They have swallowed the hype and emotion. Don't you do it! What do they mean by "Marine Grade" Coral? Marine grade coral calcium is the natural coral grains that have accumulated in the Okinawa tidal basin over the millennia. Due to the unique dynamic of the eco system (virtually no wave action) there is a vast supply of these mineral rich grains to be harvested. Coral calcium is composed primarily of the shells and skeletons of reef-building coral and microscopic sea life such as star sand that inhabit the area. To form their shells and skeletons, these organisms ingest minerals (mainly calcium and magnesium) from the ocean. As a result, the grains are mainly calcium, but they are also abundant in many sea minerals important to maintain good health. [Karl Note: The above description also includes the misleading information that "coral" consists of the shells and skeletons of living organisms. The truth is above, that "coral" is just rock that builds on itself by a mechanism that does not involve any living creature, but may involve the excrement of living creatures..] 
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