Coral calcium

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Coral Calcium is a salt of calcium derived from fossilized coral reefs. Living coral reefs are endangered and cannot be harvested without significant damage to the ecosystem, and because of this, coral calcium is harvested by grinding up above-ground limestone deposits that were once part of a coral reef. Calcium from coral sources need to be refined to remove pollutants of the source environment.

1 Chemistry
2 Production
3 Health claims controversy
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Chemistry

Coral calcium is composed primarily of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), with small amounts of magnesium and other trace minerals. Calcium carbonate from coral is similar to calcium carbonate from other sources, with varying amounts of trace minerals.

Much attention has been given to calcium carbonate's ability to change the pH (or alkalinity) of water-based solutions to which it is added. With respect to pH and alkalinity, the calcium component is less important than the carbonate component, which is chemically similar to the bicarbonate in baking soda. Coral calcium is a source of calcium, which is an essential mineral for human life. Fossilized coral reefs may, depending on the quality, also contain trace minerals helpful to the human body.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Production

Coral grains are mined from fossilized coral beds on the coastline, and pumped from coral beds in shallow waters. Grains are then ground into a fine powder, and heat treated up to 1000^oF and/or ozonated depending on the grade. The final product is either bagged as powder, or mixed with silicon dioxide (an anti-caking agent), rice flour, and magnesium stearate which acts as a lubricant, then encapsulated and bottled for retail sale.

[edit] Health claims controversy

There have been many theories put forth regarding coral calcium, perhaps the most controversial of which is that taking coral calcium can cure cancer by increasing "body pH." Scientific studies have been performed indicating that cancer cells cannot survive at sufficiently high pH levels. What the marketers of coral calcium usually fail to mention is that these studies were conducted in vitro and not on living tissue. The reason for this is that the pH level required to kill cancer cells also kills healthy human cells.

Another problem with the "body alkalinization" idea is that the body pH does not change, regardless of how much calcium carbonate is ingested. The human body can only function properly within a narrow pH range, and if alkalinizing agents such as CaCO₃ are ingested, the body promptly excretes the alkaline components in urine. So, people who attempt to increase the pH of their bodies are really only succeeding in raising the pH of their urine. The same applies if acidic foods are ingested in that the urine becomes more acidic. Additionally, it can be dangerous for people with certain medical conditions (such as kidney failure) to take excess coral calcium. ^[1] A proponent of natural medicine and nutritional supplements has condemned coral calcium and its fraud.^[2]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

^ A Text-Book Of Physiology, by Michael Foster. Lea Bros. & Co., 1981[1]
^ Murray, Dr. Michael T. "Coral Calcium – The answer to how do you spell HYPE?", Dr. Murray Natural Living, Inc., 2006. Retrieved on 2007-06-04. "What the marketers of coral calcium do is exploit and exaggerate the known importance and function of calcium and then try to tie those benefits and more to their product." — Dr. Michael T. Murray.