Coral Calcium

The following information on the nutritional supplement Coral Calcium is not intended as medical advice and should not be used to replace proper medical care or any therapeutic program recommended by a physician. It is intended for educational purposes only.

What is Coral Calcium?
Coral reefs are mineral deposits formed by marine invertebrates belonging to the phylum Cnidaria, also called coelenterates. This group of animals includes jellyfish and sea anemones. While there are many different types of coral, the coral calcium used in supplements is derived from stony corals. Stony coral are polyp-like animals that live in colonies. These corals secrete an outer protective calcium carbonate skeleton, which over time forms a coral reef.4

Fossilized Coral Calcium
Fossilized stony coral comes from a pure and uncontaminated source, the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa. This is an archipelago of islands made from ancient coral and is the source for above-ground, fossilized coral calcium. Because the coral harvested is above ground, no harm occurs to living coral or other inhabitants of coral reefs.

Processing Coral Calcium
Fossilized coral is processed at low temperatures, preserving the stability of the Aragonite form of calcium carbonate. Coral harvested from the sea floor is processed at high temperatures which can cause a change from Aragonite to Calcite, a form of calcium carbonate that is much less absorbable.2 Calcium Carbonate naturally contains approximately 40% elemental Calcium.7

The Importance of Minerals
While calcium carbonate is the dominate mineral in coral calcium (about 90%), coral actually is a composite of over 70 minerals. This makes coral a rich source for calcium and a multitude of naturally occurring minerals not consistently available in food. These include major minerals (Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, etc.) and trace minerals (chromium, manganese, selenium, etc.). Minerals are essential to life. Minerals are cofactors in enzyme reactions, essential to nerve conduction, muscle contraction, water and electrolyte balance, and act as buffers controlling pH. Each mineral significantly contributes to our health and well-being. An imbalance or depletion of minerals can result in disease or be the result of disease.1, 3

Balancing pH:
The pH of blood in a healthy individual is slightly alkaline, between 7.36-7.44. When the pH is below 7.36, a condition called acidosis takes place.

Acidosis is of two types:
1) Respiratory acidosis is a condition in which a build-up of carbon dioxide in the blood causes a shift to an acid pH. This results from a deficiency of the respiratory system (emphysema, asthma, etc.) or signals from the brain that control breathing.5

2) Metabolic acidosis is a disruption of the body's pH balance caused by a lack of insulin, a starvation diet, or a gastrointestinal disorder like vomiting and diarrhea. Metabolic acidosis can indicate more serious conditions in major organs like the liver, heart, or kidneys. It can also be one of the first signs of drug overdose or poisoning.5

Minerals play an important role in the acid/base balance in the body, especially calcium.6

Major & Trace Mineral Profile*
Element PPM Aluminum 2.46 Antimony 2.81 Arsenic <0.05 Barium 0.59 Beryllium >0.05 Bismuth 0.11 Boron 0.14 Bromine 3.21 Cadmium 0.13 Calcium 375,000 Carbon 121,000 Cerium 3.89 Chlorine 0.30 Chromium 1.62 Cobalt 0.23 Copper 7.88 Dysprosium 2.31 Erbium 4.22 Europium 0.19 Fluorine 10.1 Gadolinium 3.07 Gallium 0.08 Germanium <0.05 Gold <0.05 Hafnium <0.05 Holmium <0.1 Indium 0.16 Iodine 0.39 Iridium <0.2 Iron 97.4 Lanthanum 0.21 Lead 0.09 Lithium 0.06 Lutetium <0.08 Magnesium 6,900 Manganese 5.88 Element PPM Mercury 0.007 Molybdenum 0.089 Neodymium 2.81 Nickel <0.04 Niobium <0.1 Osmium <0.1 Palladium <0.05 Phosphorus 0.34 Platinum <0.05 Potassium 1.97 Praseodymium 3.52 Rhenium 0.87 Rhodium <0.05 Rubidium 0.99 Ruthenium 0.04 Samarium 3.44 Scandium <0.05 Selenium 0.11 Silicon 92.08 Silver 0.041 Sodium 18.2 Strontium 4.09 Sulfur 21.8 Tantalum 0.87 Tellurium 0.16 Terbium 0.18 Thalium 3.14 Thorium <0.1 Thulium 0.89 Tin 0.14 Titanium 1.07 Tungsten <0.1 Vanadium 4.17 Ytterbium 0.25 Yttrium 1.39 Zinc 8.66 Zirconium 0.039

References
1) DuBose, Thomas D., Jr. Acidosis and Alkalosis. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 14th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1998.
2) Harvey, J., et.al. The bioavailability of Calcium. J.Bone Min. Res.1988; 3:253-258
3) Prasad, A. Trace elements in human health and disease. Volume II: Academic Press, Inc. New York:525
4) Kuhlman, D. Living coral reefs of the world. ARCO Publishing 1984
5) Merck Manual Simon & Schuster 1997:743-744
6) Makoff R. The value of calcium carbonate in treating acidosis, phosphate retention, and hypocalcemia. Nephrol News Issues. 1991;5:16, 18-9, 32.
7) Merck Index; Merck & Co., 1996:270-271
* A natural source for minerals. As such, each batch will vary.

1,000 mg 100 Capsules

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