Driving home last night, I heard the report of two well-known and very popular manufacturers of coral calcium coming under fire. It seems that the FTC was tipped off to some of their claims which were, how shall we say, somewhat exaggerated?
No, this post isn't to light into the FTC, FDA or even to rant on the hype surrounding coral calcium. Instead, I wanted to give you my take on supplements. Keep in mind that I'm an herbalist, not a nutritionist.
When taking any substance, there are some obvious concerns. It's no different with drugs, herbs, vitamins or even your morning coffee. But with natural health products and especially with supplements such as vitamins and minerals, there are additional concerns on should have.
What am I taking? Are you completely certain the product on the label is the product in the bottle? I've read enough stories and heard enough first-hand accounts to know that there are less than scrupulous people in our field who are looking to turn a buck more than they are interested in your health. Anyone selling Arnica (Arnica montana) to you outside of homeopathic remedies from Europe is automatically suspect, as the remaining stands of this wonderful first-aid botanical are strictly controlled by the industry. Chances are, your Arnica tea is really "Mexican Arnica", which is most likely Heterotheca. Mexican Arnica, or Camphor Weed, is a wonderful botanical in it's own right, but it is not Arnica, and it will do little or nothing to reduce the pain and inflammation of an injury.
What else is in this bottle? The FTC cited elevated levels of lead in the product of one of the two products under investigation. In herbal remedies, adulteration is unfortunately common in such ubiquitous plants as Echinacea and Skullcap (Scutellaria laterifola), as well as in the more rare and threatened American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolia) and Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis). In some case, the foreign matter is simply inert, but in several cases it can be down right harmful.
Can my body use this substance? Most people fail to realize that the majority of the vitamins and minerals sold are in preparations that are almost impossible for the body to absorb. Think about iron for a moment. Chewing on a magnet or eating metal filings won't do you much good, right? Your body has evolved over billions of years to extract iron from food, primarily animal protein. Free iron atoms floating around in your system are not what your body needs. The same holds true for calcium. Foods rich in calcium (no, not dairy. Unless you are a bovine...) are the green leafy veggies. Your cells take in the nutrients from the food, and the minerals (calcium or iron) attached get to come inside for the ride. But without that ride, like a big once a day iron tablet or chewing on a piece of chalk... the minerals are inabsorbable and wind up just passing through.
The moral to this story? Well, there are two actually... First, buy your herbs, vitamins and minerals from a reputable source; not a club store. Yes they are cheaper, but as we just learned-- cheap stuff ain't good. Second, be very skeptical of "new remedies" that are over marketed. All of the herbs I use in my practice have been used for many thousands of years and by many different cultures. If coral calcium is such a life saver, there would be much more historical evidence of its use by every single coastal fishing peoples around the world. With Yarrow (Achillia millifolium), every indigenous culture in every place it grows uses the plant to stop bleeding. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is always used as a blood builder and purifier, and even the various Artemisa species are always used in ceremonies to dispel negative energy. These uses occur without fail, and often times without any cross-culture exchanges between peoples. Don't you find that reassuring?