A supplement solution to calcification

[Guest guest]

A supplement solution to calcification

 

 

10/5/2004 - 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.

 

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.

_________________

JoAnn Guest

mrsjoguest

www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets