A supplement solution to calcification?

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A supplement solution to calcification?

 

 

05/10/2004 - The supplement industry generally deals with calcium in

terms of lack- explaining to consumers the health benefits of

increasing their intake of the mineral. However, a new book suggests

calcification – deposists of calcium in parts of the body where it

doesn't belong - is the real threat and that the supplement industry's

money is to be made in marketing a solution to this problem.

 

The recent update of the dietary guidelines suggested that most

Americans should up their daily absorption of calcium and most

research deals with the mineral's virtues. One US cancer expert -

Harold Newmark from Rutgers University - has even called for the US

government to require calcium and vitamin D to be added to foods to

achieve a 20 percent reduction in colon cancer deaths and

osteoporosis-related fractures.

 

Similarly, a study published last month by the DSEA and the Lewin

Group estimated that daily use of calcium by people over the age of 65

would save the US state $13.9 billion over five years by reducing hip

fractures, and at the same time improve the quality of people's lives

affected by such problems.

 

Two Canadian based scientists biological engineer Katja Hansen and

journalist Douglas Mulhall have co-authored a book entitled The

Calcium Bomb – to be published next month – that focuses instead on

the dark side of calcium known as calcification.

 

They describe calcification as " the hardening of our body tissue by

calcium salts that contain other minerals, such as phosphorus, and are

often toxic " – " one of the most pervasive yet least understood medical

conditions on Earth " .

 

Hansen added: " Calcification is the leading chronic medical condition

in America and Europe. It is found in heart disease, many cancers,

arthritis, sport injuries and a host of other illnesses. Yet until

now, doctors have not known where it came from or how to get rid of it. "

 

In their book, the authors analyze research that has been carried out

in this domain and see what dangers – or not – calcification holds for

the supplements industry.

 

Hansen and Mulhall conclude that as far as they know there is no

evidence linking dystrophic calcification – that occurs when blood

calcium levels are normal or low - with calcium supplements when the

supplements are used to raise low calcium blood levels.

 

Indeed, they suggest, in line with new research, that the health

industry could actually benefit from further discoveries about

calcification because a combination of nutraceuticals and antibiotics

has been found to eradicate the infection and reverse calcification.

 

A study published this month in Pathophysiology (2004

Oct;11(2):95-101) by researchers in Florida showed positive results

from the above treatment in a clinical trial.

 

Led by B.S. Maniscalco, researchers enrolled one hundred patients with

stable coronary artery disease (CAD) and positive coronary artery

calcium (CAC) scores into a four month study of comET therapy. They

noted that ComET therapy is composed of a nutraceutical powder

containing vitamin C, vitamin B6, niacin, folic acid, selenium, EDTA,

l-arginine, l-lysine, l-ornithine, bromelain, trypsin, CoQ10,

grapeseed extract, hawthorn berry and papain taken orally every

evening, plus a dose of Tetracycline.

 

(Moderator's Note: I would skip the Tetracycline though.

Breakthrough???? As for the rest which are all good for you and have

been recommended by the health conscious nutrional advisers for many

years. Probably 40-50 years or more.)

 

Seventy-seven patients completed the study and the researchers

concluded that CAC scores decreased during the trial in most CAD

patients, " inferring regression of calcified coronary artery plaque

volume. Further treatment trials for long-term therapy with matched

controls are warranted. "

 

Hansen deemed these results " amazing " , though agreed that this was

only based on a small patient base and further research needs to be done.

 

" We talked to several cardiologists who had patients who had literally

been sent home to die because there was nothing else that could be

done for them, but this study indicates there could be a treatment, "

she said.

 

Nanobac Sciences began to market these ingredients as a supplement

around three months ago. The 30 day supply of 120 oral capsules and 30

Nanobac EDTA suppositories is designed to help fight plaque and

calicification.

 

Mulhall, though, is under the impression that the supplement industry

in general has not picked up on this product, and both he and Hansen

now hope to see a major research push into calcification.