|
Okinawan
Coral
Most coral calcium products on the market are from the Japanese
prefecture of Okinawa. Okinawa coral is the only “market
proven” coral available with a known record of success.
However, many other corals are coming on the market that appear
to be equal in quality and performance but are not yet “market
Proven”.
Sango
Coral
What about Sango - some say Sango is the best. Actually Sango
is simply a local Okinawan reference to Coral in general - so
ALL Coral is Sango.
Ionized
Coral
All Okinawan Coral is ionized too - that just means it takes on
a charge (a positive one to be specific) so don't be fooled by
companies claiming to have a superior product because it is "Ionized"
Coral Calcium. The important thing is that this ionization makes
it far more useable for humans compared to typical calcium supplements.
Clinical
or Marine Grade
Some claim to have "clinical grade" or “marine
grade” but no explanation is offered as to how this is different
from any other (except location of source). Coral is a whole food
source of calcium and minerals and there is no standard grading
system including "clinical grade". Something that does
matter more is particle size. It comes in a range of sizes from
2 microns (like flour) up to 44 microns. The smaller the particle
the better for absorption.
Physician
Formulated
The Coral formulas on the market are very simple formulations
based on Dr Carl Reich's work from 1950 through 1992 where he
combined Calcium and Vitamin D to work miracles in patients. A
physician's involvement is arguably overkill.
Robert
Barefoot Formula
Several companies, each with a different formula, either have
Bob Barefoot's name on their formula or advertise that they represent
him in one way or another. Robert Barefoot has licensed his name
to companies who have developed several brands and markets through
several distributors. Confusing matters further, Mr. Barefoot
has represented most of the Coral companies at one time or another
as his mission is to help America heal itself and he tends to
hop from company to company. Any formula containing some Vitamin
D and maybe a few other goodies is a bonus with or without Barefoot's
name on it.
Exclusive
Rights
If any company owned the exclusive rights to Coral calcium there
would not be so many competing companies creating such confusion
now would there? Coral Calcium was first introduced to America
about 8 years ago through a Multi-level Marketing company selling
it in tea bag form. Later the capsules became more popular as
the entire mineral content could be swallowed. Over time about
7 or 8 other MLM companies started marketing Coral products and
one or two regular distribution companies have recently joined
in.
Fossilized
Coral versus Marine (Ocean) Coral
There are two sources of Okinawan Coral. Fossilized Coral which
is mined above sea level and Marine Coral which is vacuumed from
the ocean bottom near the Coral reefs. Which is best, Fossilized
or Marine Coral?
Laboratory
analysis of the two kinds shows each variety has similar quantities
of each of the minerals. Fossilized tends to have a little higher
percentage of Calcium - about 30 to 38% while the Marine variety
has about 24% calcium. So when you read about a company having
500 mg of Coral calcium per capsule, you know that roughly 1/3
of that is pure calcium - most of the better companies will point
out the exact percentage. In addition Marine coral is higher in
heavy metal content, as it is quite porous and easily absorbs
the oceans pollutants. This marine coral is super heat treated
in excess of 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit so that finished products
at the consumer level do not contain a harmful level of heavy
metals.
Some fossilized coral suppliers claim that theirs is in aragonite
form which is more soluble than the marine variety which is heat
treated and becomes a calcite form of crystal. This has been verified
in a Japanese laboratory. The Marine coral suppliers say theirs
is advantageous due to a natural 2:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium.
Our tests indicate that inorganic magnesium has likely been added
to accomplish this ratio - which is fine. Some of the fossilized
brands have magnesium added too, but the fossilized companies
tend to be up-front about it.
Whenever
a company promotes something as "naturally occurring"
and it has been added, it makes us wonder where else the truth
is being stretched on their product. A little foray to Okinawa
unearthed another matter of concern regarding "Marine"
coral - that is the purity of a product that involves vacuuming
the ocean floor. We obtained raw marine coral product samples
which have a fairly high sand content. This is not all bad as
sand has some minerals in it, but these impurities may be part
of the reason Marine Coral has a lower calcium content than Fossilized
coral.
We know
that Mr. Barefoot is currently promoting "Marine Coral",
but one must remember his history of representing a number of
coral companies over the years and each brand he represents at
the time has "the best form". When he represented Fossilized
Coral it was the best - currently he is representing Marine Coral,
but we hear rumors that he may switch again soon to promoting
fossilized coral. It doesn't really matter. We recommend that
you choose your coral based on it's merits, not on who is promoting
it.
Every company has a list of amazing success stories with their
brand of Coral which we have no reason to doubt given the well
documented longevity of the Okinawan people who live on a giant
fossilized coral reef and ingest Coral minerals daily from their
water! Although we would take "Marine" Coral if it were
the only type available, we favor fossilized coral for reasons
noted above. Some people also favor the fossilized form on ethical
grounds - because the Marine vacuuming process can be damaging
to the Coral environment.
Magnesium
Content
There are several schools of thought on how much Magnesium should
be in calcium supplements. An article in the JAMA (Journal of
the American Medical Association) indicated there should be absolutely
no magnesium in calcium supplements. Other experts claim a 2:1
ratio of Calcium to Magnesium is ideal. The Okinawan race, noted
for their longevity due to the minerals they ingest from the giant
fossilized mineral reef they live on, do not add magnesium at
all. What we know for sure is the medical community is undecided
- and that all pure coral products work extremely well with or
without a 2:1 ratio. The human body has a natural calcium to magnesium
ratio of 43:1 which is very similar to unadulterated coral of
48:1.
Added Ingredients
Many
“Coral Calcium” products have additives other than
Magnesium, most typically, vitamins. As previously mentioned,
plain ground coral works quite well and the addition of vitamins
or other additives is usually for marketing purposes. It is important
to note that there are many different quality levels of vitamins.
There is a big difference between putting a vitamin in a product
just to say it is there, and truly formulating a product with
the intention of each ingredient “working”. Most coral
people would say vitamins are important as is magnesium, but not
necessarily all in one capsule or product.
Coral
Microbes
Although super qualities have been attributed to these microbes,
we do not believe they exist in commercially available coral,
if at all. Marine coral is heat treated and Fossilized coral is
ozonated. Both processes will kill any living microbe. Coral works,
but not because of microbes.
|
