|
| |
Coral Calcium
Highest quality coral from Okinawa
Strengthens immune system
Easy to digest and highly absorbable
Ideal 2:1 ratio of calcium/magnesium
Supports healthy bones & muscles
Enhanced with vitamins and minerals
|
|
Coral Calcium Supplement Facts - 3 Capsules Contain
Amount per serving % RDA
Vitamin A 5000 IU 100%
Vitamin C 60mg 100%
Vitamin D-3 400 IU 100%
Vitamin E 30 mg 100%
Calcium (Coral Calcium) 555 mg 56%
Copper (amino acid chelate) 2 mg 100%
Iodine (kelp) 12 mcg 8%
Magnesium (Coral calcium, gluconate) 278 mg 70%
Manganese (amino acid chelate) 12 mcg **
Molybdenum 12 mg **
Selenium 200 mcg **
Iodine 50 mcg 33%
Zinc 15 mg 100%
Coral Calcium (with 72 Trace Minerals) 1500 mg **
Vanadium 30 mcg **
Boron 21 mcg **
Other ingredients: Magnesium Stearate, Stearic Acid, Cellulose and Vegetarian Capsules
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body. Of the two to three pounds of calcium contained in the average body, 99% is located in the bones and teeth. An adequate daily intake of calcium is not only needed to form healthy bones and teeth, but also in preventing colon and rectal cancers, high blood pressure, and even preventing premenstrual syndrome. Calcium also plays an important role in weight loss, muscular contractions, vision, assisting with regulating heartbeat, transmitting nerve impulses, blood clotting, and helping to maintain the walls of blood vessels.
History of Coral Calcium
The first mention of the medicinal use of coral is found in Indian Ayurvetic Medicine, dating back some 5,000 years. Coral was first introduced as medicine to the Western World by the 9th century Arab expansion into Europe. The Persian philosopher Al-Kindi included coral in the "Medical Formulary" in 830 A.D. Proof of western coral usage can be seen in the world's oldest pharmacy established in 1685, and is still in existence and preserved as a museum in Panaranda de Duero in northern Spain. The museum displays a container of ground up coral with the inscription, The blond coral is the only coral used for medicine and further states that the coral has a beneficial effect upon the heart and elevates the mood of the person taking it. According to legend, coral has remained in use in Okinawa for over 500 years. Many say that the coral minerals are the reason for the indisputable longevity of the Okinawan people. Japanese population studies show that Okinawa has the highest incidence of people 100 years of age or over. These Okinawan Centurions are active and productive senior citizens. Aside from coral calcium consumption, Okinawans eat a low-calorie, mostly plant-based diet with plenty of fish and soy foods. They also enjoy strong social and community support, and are involved in regular and life-long physical activity. Ascribing longevity to coral calcium has not yet been scientifically proven, however, voluminous testimonials as to the miraculous therapeutic benefits of Okinawa coral calcium beg for further scientific studies. Recent infomercials appear to make exaggerated claims about the health benefits of coral. It is not really necessary to exaggerate, since coral calcium is a fabulous product. It may not be the cure for all ailments, but it certainly has significant health benefits.
The Benefits of Calcium
Calcium and Weight Loss: A two-year study found young women who had the highest intakes of calcium from dairy foods lost the most weight and adipose fat on weight control programs, regardless of exercise level. (Teegarden D, et al. J Am Coll Nutr; 19: 754-60, 2000). Limited epidemiological and experimental data support the possibility that dietary calcium intake plays a role in human body weight regulation. (Parikh SJ; Yanovski JA.Calcium intake and adiposity. Am J Clin Nutr; 77(2): 281-7, Feb 2003). Data from six observational studies and three controlled trials in which calcium intake was the independent variable (and either bone mass or blood pressure the original outcome variable) were analyzed to evaluate the effect of calcium intake on body weight and body fat. Analysis revealed a consistent effect of higher calcium intakes, expressed as lower body fat and/or body weight, and reduced weight gain at midlife. (Heaney, R.P., Davies, K.M., Barger-Lux, M.J., "Calcium and Weight: Clinical Studies," Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 21(2), pages 152S-155S, 2002).
Calcium and Colon Cancer: Colon cancer claims 134,000 victims and causes about 55,000 deaths each year in the United States. Epidemiological evidence suggests that dietary levels of calcium and vitamin D intake are inversely related to the incidence of colon cancer. (Holt, P.R. et al.J.A.M.A. , 280 (12) 1074-9,1998). Data from the Nurses' Health and Health Professionals Follow-up studies (88,000 women and 47,000 men, respectively) were analyzed to examine the effect of calcium intake on risk of colon cancer. At a 16 and 10-year follow-up for the two studies, 626 women and 399 men had developed colon malignancies. Those who consumed 700-800mg calcium daily, from diet or supplements, had a 40-50% lower risk of developing colon cancer than those with intakes under 500 mg/day. (Wu K, et al. J Natl Cancer Inst; 94:437-46,2002). Animal studies conducted in Japan concluded Coral Calcium exerted an inhibitory effect on the metastases of the cancer cells to the lungs by activating natural killer (NK) cells and macrophages, thus resulting in preventing the proliferation of cancer cells. (Yuji Hirota, Ph.D. and Takashi Sugisaki, Ph.D. Effects Of The Coral Calcium As An Inhibitory Substance Against Colon Cancer And Its Metastasis In The Lungs. Nutrition Research, Vol. 20, No. 11,pp. 1557-1567, 2000).
Calcium and Tooth Loss: People with low intakes of dairy foods, that is under 1.5 servings per day, have almost twice the risk of periodontal disease leading to tooth loss than those consuming at least three serves per day. Note that the study refers to calcium intake, not specifically dairy products, although they are the principal dietary source of calcium. (Nishuda M et al: Calcium and the risk for periodontal disease. J Periodontol; 71:1057-1066,2000).
Calcium for Hypertension: A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial involved 116 adolescents to determine whether an increased intake of calcium can lead to a reduction in blood pressure. Subjects were given 1.5g/day of calcium or placebo. Results confirmed that there was a decrease in diastolic blood pressure in the group receiving a calcium supplement. The effect was greater in those whose diets were low in calcium. (Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 68 (3) 648-655, 1998).
Calcium and Vision: Maintenance of calcium levels is critical to cell function. Loss of calcium homeostasis might be a contributing factor to the development of cataracts in the lens. (Liu L; Paterson CA; Borchman D.Regulation of sarco/endoplasmic Ca2+ -ATPase expression by calcium in human lens cells. Exp Eye Res; 75(5): 583-90. Nov 2002).
Calcium and Brain Function: Calcium plays a role in neural information processing. (Egelman DM; Montague PR. Calcium dynamics in the extra cellular space of mammalian neural tissue. Biophys J; 76(4): 1856-67, Apr 1999).
Calcium and Wound Healing: Calcium has an established role in the normal homeostasis of mammalian skin and serves as a modulator in keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation. (Lansdown AB.Calcium: a potential central regulator in wound healing in the skin. Wound Repair Regen; 10(5): 271-85, Sep-Oct 2002).
Calcium and Heart Disease: The major spark for the rhythmic excitation of the heart, which ignites roughly every second normal heart rate is about 60-70 beats per minute is created by the sodium current flowing through a pore in the cell membrane, the so-called sodium channel. And the squeeze the mechanical contraction that expels the blood is due to elevation of intracellular calcium that triggers the contractile mechanism in the heart. (Dr. Jeffrey R. Balser. Arrhythmias linked to calcium levels. Nature study directed by VUMC Anesthesiology.January 25, 2002).
Calcium and Kidney Stones: Calcium supplements cause oxalate to bind while in the stomach, before it can be absorbed into the urinary tract. This causes a decrease in urinary oxalate, which reduces the risk of kidney stones. While increased calcium in the urine may cause some kidney stones, overall higher calcium intake appears to lower kidney stone formation risk. (Marshall RW, Cochran M, Hodkginson A. Relationship between calcium and oxalic acid intake in the diet and their excretion in the urine of normal and renal-stone forming subjects. Clin Sci; 43:919, 1972 and Curhan GC, Willett WC, Rimm EB, Stampfer MJ. A Prospective study of dietary calcium and other nutrients and the risk of symptomatic kidney stones. N Engl J Med; 328:8338,1993).
Calcium and Cholesterol: Calcium binds fats and prevents their absorption by the body. Possibly as a result of this, calcium also reduces cholesterol levels. (Yacowitz H, Fleischman AI, Bierenbaum ML. Effects of oral calcium upon serum lipids in man. BMJ; 1:13524, 1965 and Jorde R; Sundsfjord J; Fitzgerald P; Bonaa KH. Serum calcium and cardiovascular risk factors and diseases: the Tromso study. Hypertension; 34(3): 484-90, Sep 1999).
Calcium and Migraines: Vitamin D when used with Calcium provides some relief for migraines. (Thys-Jacobs S. Alleviation of migraines with therapeutic vitamin D and calcium. Headache; 34(10): 590-2, Nov-Dec, 1994).
Coral Calcium as a Bone Graft Substitute: Coral is naturally synergistic with the human body. This is evidenced by the medical practice of using pieces of coral in bone graphs. Orthopedic surgeons use coral in bone graphs because the body readily accepts the coral and the various muscles and tendons grow into the coral structure as if it were actual human bone. Surgeons have packed the cracks and wholes in broken bones of the elderly with the coral paste made from coral calcium and water. (Demers C, Hamdy CR, Corsi K, et al.Natural coral exoskeleton as a bone graft substitute: a review. Biomed Mater Eng (Netherlands), 12(1) p15-35, 2002 and Soost F, Reisshauer B, Herrmann A, et alMund Kiefer Gesichtschir . Natural coral calcium carbonate as alternative substitute in bone defects of the skull. Mund Kiefer Gesichtschir (Germany), 2(2) p96-100, March 1998).
Calcium and Ulcers: Ancient man found that heartburn could be relieved by ingesting minerals that had antacid properties. Calcium carbonate was one of the first of these, as it occurred in relatively pure form in coral and limestone. Antacids were the keystones of medical management until the modern era of ulcer treatment. There has been a renewal of interest in antacids in recent years. Calcium as a component of the diet has come under scrutiny. Antacids have been found to be as effective in promoting healing of ulcer as H2 antagonists, sulcrafate, and colloidal bismuth. (Texter EC Jr. A critical look at the clinical use of antacids in acid-peptic disease and gastric acid rebound. Am J Gastroentero; 84(2): 97-108,Feb 1989).
Calcium and Allergies: Increased concentration of intercellular calcium ion in the granular leukocytes may have anti-inflammation functions in patients with allergic rhinitis. (Shen Z; Wang H; Wang H; Lin J; Chen Y; Song D The effects of BDP on calcium ion in the granular leukocytes in nasal secretions of the patients with allergic rhinitis. Lin Chuang Er Bi Yan Hou Ke Za Zhi; 16(1): 25-6, Jan 2002).
Where does herbalhighs coral come from?
As a result of geophysical changes over thousands of years, coral is lifted above sea level. The harvesting process involves removal of the protective layer of soil that accumulated over time and collecting the ancient coral. The environmental consequences are minimal and are similar to any small land based mining operation. There is some evidence that the mining may actually benefit the live reefs.
Why herbalhighs Coral Calcium?
Absorption: A key constituent of coral calcium is readily absorbable and bioavailable calcium. A controlled study conducted at Higashi Sapporo Hospital, Japan suggests that calcium of coral origin is better absorbed from the intestine than calcium of calcium carbonate origin on the average. The enhanced absorbability of coral calcium may be due to the fact that the coral from the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa contains calcium and magnesium in a content ratio of about 2 to 1. (Ishitani K, Itakura E, Goto S, Esashi T. Calcium absorption from the ingestion of coral-derived calcium by humans. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo); 45(5): 509-17, Oct 1999).
Magnesium in Coral Calcium: Magnesium plays a role in enhancing calcium regulation and uptake.
herbalhighs Corral Calcium contains a ratio of calcium to magnesium of 2:1. Magnesium is involved in the synthesis of protein, and is an important co-factor in more than 300 enzymatic reactions in the human body, many of which contribute to the production of energy, and cardiovascular functions. While calcium affects muscle contractions, magnesium balances that effect and relaxes muscles. Research has shown that patients who suffer with hypertension, asthma, coronary artery disease, leg cramps, migraines, diabetes, cardiac arrhythmias, depression, and multiple sclerosis have low intracellular magnesium levels and symptoms of magnesium deficiency. Some of this is due to the disease itself and some of it do to the medications that the person has to take to control the actual disease. Some good natural sources of magnesium include: whole grains; dark-green leafy vegetables; milk and dairy products; nuts; meat and fish; dried cooked beans, especially soy beans. (Wardlaw , Gorden M and Kessel, Margaret. Perspectives in Nutrition, Fifth Edition, l, McGraw Hill, Boston, pp. 419-454 and Pizzorno, Joseph E. and Murray, Michael T. Textbook of Natural Medicine, Second Edition Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, 1454-1459, 1999).
Trace Minerals: The minerals and elements in the ocean accumulate in coral calcium over thousands of years. Most importantly, coral calcium has major and minor trace minerals in naturally occurring proportions, similar to the human body's mineral content. Maintaining the proper balance of minerals in the body is critical to optimal health. There is a significant body of scientific evidence that minerals, in proper balance to one another, have important biochemical and nutritional functions. The benefits of supplementing with trace minerals may be more important than ever in light of numerous horticultural and botanical studies confirming the mineral depletion of soil. (Schauss, Alexander PhD, Minerals and Human health: The Rationale for Optimal and Balanced Trace Element Levels. Life Sciences Press, 1995).
Okinawan coral calcium contains 72 trace minerals, which are minerals that occur in tiny amounts or traces. They play a major role in health, since even minute portions can powerfully affect health. They are essential in the assimilation and utilization of vitamins and other nutrients, and aid in digestion and provide the catalyst for many hormones, enzymes and essential body functions and reactions. Trace minerals also aid in replacing electrolytes lost through heavy perspiration or extended diarrhea, and protect against toxic reaction and heavy metal poisoning. What makes them essential is their variable oxidation state. They are important parts of oxidative-reduction enzymes in the body. In addition to the major minerals, calcium and magnesium, Okinawan coral calcium includes, Aluminum, Antimony, Barium, Boron, Bismuth, Bromine, Cadmium, Cobalt, Chromium, Cesium, Copper, Deuterium, Dysprosium, Erbium, Europium, Gadolinium, Gallium, Germanium, Gadolinium, Gallium, Germanium, Gold, Holmium, Indium, Iodine, Iridium, Iron, Hafnium, Lanthanum, Lithium, Lutetium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Niobium, Nickel Osmium, Palladium, Phosphorus, Platinum, Potassium, Praseodymium, Rhenium, Ruthenium, Rubidium, Samarium, Scandium, Selenium, Silver, Strontium, Sulfur, Tantalum, Tellurium, Tin, Tungsten, Vanadium, Yttrium, Zinc, And Zirconium.
Please note that lead contamination is not a health issue in herbalhighs Coral Calcium, as there is there is less than one part per million, far below US Pharmacopoeia standards.
A Full Spectrum Support Nutrient System: To make calcium work well, other vitamins and minerals are needed to maximize absorption.
herbalhighs Coral Calcium is formulated to make it effective even if you are deficient in one or more of the support nutrients required for calcium absorption. In addition to naturally occurring Magnesium, we have added other essential nutrients, including Vitamins A, C, D and E along with Copper, Manganese, Molybdenum,Selenium, Vanadium, Boron, and Zinc. Studies show that these vitamins and minerals work synergistically to allow the body to efficiently utilize calcium.
The exact mechanism that makes coral calcium a health-promoting supplement is not yet known. Clearly, more scientific studies are required. Coral Calcium appears to work by means other than just the content of calcium alone. (Halstead, B. Fossil Stony Coral Minerals and Their Nutritional Application. Canon Beach, OR: Health Digest Publishing Co., 1999). There is a lot media hype that claims coral calcium is the cure for all ailments. Such claims are absurd and preposterous. There are many issues regarding coral calcium that remain unresolved, and more studies are indicated. The benefits of coral calcium reported by thousands of people must be taken into consideration. It is abundantly clear that coral calcium is a natural mineral supplement that contains health-promoting micronutrients, and it is a valuable dietary supplement that is here to stay.
Recommended Dosage: Coral Calcium is best taken two to three times a day, instead of in one dose, because your body can absorb only 600 milligrams of elemental calcium at a time. Best time to take coral calcium is after meals and before bedtime. Do not take coral calcium with iron, because it interferes with its absorption. Avoid taking coral calcium supplements with high-fiber meals or bulk laxatives, as they can cut down on the amount of calcium you absorb. Over 2,000 milligrams a day of elemental calcium may pose problems for your kidneys.
Contraindications: If you have had kidney stones or have a family history of them, talk to your doctor before taking any type of calcium supplements. Calcium supplementation may decrease the absorption of tetracycline antibiotics, iron and aspirin or salicylates, if taken at the same time (it is recommended that dosage be separated by at least 2 hours). Calcium may decrease efficacy of thyroid hormones, may decrease absorption of biphosphonates and some quinolone antibiotics. Calcium benefit ceases when supplements stop. It is now conventional to recommend that young people, especially, have a high calcium diet to maximize bone strength and avoid the later ravages of bone loss and osteoporosis. New studies find that the benefit of high calcium intake only remains while the level of intake is maintained. A three-year study of 300 men and women over 65 years, utilizing a calcium supplement regimen produced increased bone density, but within a year of stopping there was no residual gain. Clearly calcium enrichment must be a lifelong process, not just a few years of popping pills. (Dawson-Hughes, B. et al. Effect of calcium and vitamin d supplementation on bone density in men and women 65 years of age or older. N. ENGL. J. MED. 337 (10) 670-6, 1997; Dawson-Hughes B (Tufts), and Abrams S (Houston Child Nutrition Research Center): papers at FASEB 2000).
| |
|
