Coral Calcium

Coral Calcium Update--A Seller Responds
We can't be sure, but an ad appeared in a mail order catalog entitled "Coral Calcium--Separating Fact from Fiction," and it appeared to be a reply to our report on Coral Calcium. Click at end of article for the original report.

Before we give their argument, we wondered whether a seller of merchandise would ever say, "We were wrong, and we are discontinuing this product?"

Here are the points made by the Coral Calcium seller; "Coral Calcium contains more than just calcium. Coral contains many minerals often depleted in our Western diets such as magnesium and essential trace minerals."

Our reply: True, but so what? They did not indicate the AMOUNT of these minerals. One might easily get the same amounts or probably more in a simple multiple vitamin tablet.

"Coral Calcium has also recently emerged as an 'anti-aging' product. While the link between the longevity of Okinawans and color calcium is not completely clear, there are several lines of reasoning that support the anti-aging properties of Coral Calcium."

Our reply: Emerged where? In the minds of the promotors? Certainly not in medical or scientific studies. Yes, sure, the "link to the longevity... is not clear." Not only is it not clear--it doesn't exist.

"Coral Calcium supplements are not a scam as some people have suggested! Coral Calcium is a very valuable natural mineral supplement."

Our reply: No evidence was presented in their defense that it is NOT a scam. If its merely a mineral supplement, it is way over-priced compared to other mineral supplements.

"While disease prevention and treatment claims are illegal, individual testimonials of the benefits of Coral Calcium are now measured in the thousands."

Our reply: Oh yeah? No testimonials were mentioned specifically here. And if they were, that is not SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION. It is "anecdotal research," which any medical researcher would deem "totally unreliable." Real research would have say, a thousand or even a hundred people who take the stuff, and a similar number of people who take a "dummy pill," or perhaps a conventional mineral supplement and after a reasonable time period, see if there is any difference.

"There is absolutely no evidence that coral calcium produced from coral sand collected above or below sea level has any difference in health benefits."

Our reply: Okay. And NEITHER OF THEM have been shown to be better than much cheaper mineral supplements. We should mention here an alternative, that of calcium-magnesium-boron pills. We prefer the latter.

"Living reefs are not disturbed during the Coral Calcium collection process and there is no evidence to support the charges that the ecology is damaged in any way."

Our reply: We did not make that charge directly. We only indicated our suspicion that there is ecological damage. But these and other sellers do not know for a fact that there is no damage. Unless there is proof of the latter, we remain suspicious. Would they admit it if they knew? They haven't admitted much of anything, other than giving the impression that profit only is their objective. Come on, guys, drop the coral calcium!