Calcium

[Monique]

Hey Shelley!


I have been chasing around for a good mineral complex, and like you said, it's hard to find a good one.

recently I stumbled across some information regarding calcium and other components that make calcium available to the body. There seems to be something called microcrystalline calcium hydroxypatite and it is suppose to be the most bio availabe calcium to the human body. I know that you arent suppose to fall for advertisements and stuff, and I have sure learned my lesson..

But I did some research and this calcium was also mentioned at WAPFs website, and it made good sense actually.



from WAPF: What the industry doesnt want you to know

http://www.westonaprice.org/healthissues/supplements.html

"Calcium is the most commonly taken mineral supplement, and calcium supplements come in scores of different forms. But only one is actually a food extract and that is calcium hydroxyapatite. This is the form of calcium that naturally occurs in bone. Low temperature processing techniques are used to extract microcrystalline hydroxyapatite concentrate (MCHC) from raw bone--the best products utilize MCHC from free-range, pesticide-free New Zealand cattle. MCHC is a complex crystalline compound composed of calcium (about 24 percent), phosphorous, delicate organic factors (thus the importance of low-temperature processing), protein matrix and the full spectrum of minerals that naturally comprise healthy bone. Look for a calcium supplement in which the only source of calcium is MCHC. Many supplements say "MCHC" or "calcium hydroxyapatite" on the label, but when you read the ingredients carefully you discover that a secondary source of calcium, typically dicalcium phosphate--an inexpensive, poorly absorbed form of calcium--contributes an unstated percentage of the calcium to the supplement."


Weston A price also talks about the importance of vitamin K for calcium:


"Vitamin K2 is the substance that makes the vitamin A- and vitamin D-dependent proteins come to life. While vitamins A and D act as signaling molecules, telling cells to make certain proteins, vitamin K2 activates these proteins by conferring upon them the physical ability to bind calcium. In some cases these proteins directly coordinate the movement or organization of calcium themselves; in other cases the calcium acts as a glue to hold the protein in a certain shape.33 In all such cases, the proteins are only functional once they have been activated by vitamin K."

Two forms of vitamin K2 supplements are commercially available: menaquinone-4 (MK-4), also called menatetrenone, and menaquinone-7 (MK-7). MK-4 is a synthetic product that is believed to be chemically and physiologically identical to the vitamin K2 found in animal fats. This form has been used in most of the animal experiments and in the Japanese osteoporosis studies. Although synthetic, it is effective, and there is no known toxicity. MK-7 is a natural extract of natto, a fermented soy food popular in Eastern Japan. MK-4 is much less expensive than MK-7, but no studies have yet compared the efficacy of these two forms.

http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnutrition/vitamin-k2.html




Then I found this article " Effect of a Dietary Supplement on Hip and Spine BMD: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial"


http://www.acsm-msse.org/pt/re/msse/fulltext.

00005768-200705001-01696.htm;jsessionid=LpDJQWjnggWntlyQHwN0NDZyTQ320JM90GtJ3hzXl3GrJTQGF2Kr!310291552!181195629!8091!-1

(the web address is divided or the screen would be too wide, so just add the two)


PURPOSE: Determine the effects of two different doses of a microcrystalline hydroxyapatite-based dietary supplement called the Bone Builder®, on the bone mineral density (BMD) of women at the hip and spine compared to women taking a placebo.

METHODS: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment was conducted using 114 women evaluated at baseline, 6-months, and 9-months. In addition to microcrystalline hydroxyapatite, the supplement included calcium, phosporus, vitamins D and K, and other ingredients. There were two supplement dosage groups. The high-dose group received twice the supplement of the low-dose group. A control group received a placebo. BMD was measured at the hip and spine using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and an electronic scale was employed to measure body weight over time. Subjects were required to keep a written log of their daily supplement or placebo use to track compliance.

RESULTS: Compared to subjects taking the placebo, women in the high-dose group lost significantly less BMD at the hip at 6 months (F=4.5, p=0.03) and 9 months (F=3.8, p=0.05). Additionally, women in the high- and low-dose groups lost significantly less BMD in the inter-trochanteric region of the hip compared to placebo users at 6 months (F=7.7, p=0.01) and 9 months (F=7.9, p=0.01). At 9 months, women in the high-dose group also showed significantly greater BMD at the femoral neck than controls (F=4.7, p=0.03). Moreover, differences in BMD at the spine were significant at the trend level in favor of the high-dose group over the placebo group after 9 months of supplement use (F=2.68, p=0.10).

CONCLUSIONS: The Bone Builder® supplement (TriVita, Inc., Scottsdale, AZ) resulted in significantly greater BMD for three of the four measurements taken at the hip, including the total hip, femoral neck, and inter-trochanteric region, than placebo use after 9 months of daily use. Also, of the four BMD assessments at the hip, significant differences were evident in two after 6 months of supplement use. Apparently, the supplement is effective in improving BMD at the hip compared to placebo use in women, which should result in reduced risk of osteoporosis and fewer hip fractures over time.




And then I found a supplement that has this composition, from Jarrow formulas, here it is on Iherb.com: (by the way, the customers have really interesting reviews, also from the link below)

http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?c=1&pid=1653329067830523968


Phew, what do you think? Could there be some truth to this?


I do have cal mag fizz but it's a little bit corrosive on my teeth, even if I use a straw, the teeth in the back do come in contact with some of it. I have really thin enamel, and I need to take care of my poor teeth

[shelley]

Hi Monique! Yep, this is one time where if you can find it and afford it, it's well worth it. If you find a good source let me know!