Health Q&A
Coral calcium isn't as good as you think

By Richard Harkness
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWS SERVICE
December 21, 2004

QUESTION: In your recent column on calcium, you said to
count only  the amount of "elemental" calcium in
supplements. I take coral  calcium. Is it superior to
other calcium supplements? What  percentage of it is
elemental calcium?

ANSWER: I see it's time for an update on coral calcium.
Since last year's columns helping to expose the facts
about this over-hyped  supplement, coral calcium products
are still being heavily  advertised and promoted as a
special or better form of calcium.
Remember the notorious coral calcium TV infomercials
from years past? The FTC and the FDA finally stepped in
and charged the makers  and promoters of the Coral
Calcium Supreme product with falsely claiming the product
could treat or cure cancer and other diseases such as
lupus, multiple sclerosis and heart disease.
The feds also sent warning letters to operators of some
Web sites that promote coral calcium treatments.
To answer your first question, there's no evidence that
coral calcium is superior to other calcium supplements
despite its exotic-sounding hype. If free of excessive
lead and other contaminants, it should be comparable to
other calcium carbonate supplements - no better, no
worse.
To your other question: Coral calcium is primarily
calcium carbonate. (Product labels may say just
"calcium.") Elemental calcium makes up 40 percent of
calcium carbonate.
To get 1,200 mg of elemental calcium (the RDA for adults
over age 50), you'd need to take 3,000 mg of a calcium
carbonate product.
Another popular form of calcium is calcium citrate.
Elemental calcium makes up only 21 percent of this
calcium compound. Getting 1,200 mg of elemental calcium
would require 5,700 mg of a calcium citrate product.
Adequate calcium is important to help ward off
osteoporosis, a condition in which bones become weak and
prone to breaking.
Remember to count both dietary and supplemental sources
in adding up your total calcium intake.
Milk, cheese, yogurt and calcium-fortified orange juice
are easy dietary sources of calcium. For example, an 8-
ounce glass of skim milk provides about 300 mg of
elemental calcium.
You also need adequate amounts of vitamin D to help the
body absorb and use calcium. A typically recommended
daily amount is 400 IU (provided by standard multivitamin-
mineral products).

QUESTION: Have you heard any information about Bob
Barefoot's Coral Calcium Supreme giving refunds to people
who bought via his TV infomercial?

ANSWER: In 2003 the FTC said it would ask that
restitution be made to consumers who bought this product.
This process may be stalled in the bureaucratic maze for
no telling how long, but I'll stay tuned for updates.