Is Coral Calcium Better Than Regular Calcium?

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. It contributes to cellular function, muscle development, neuronal transmission and hormonal secretion. However, 99 percent of the calcium found in the body is stored in the teeth and bones, where it promotes bone health and provides skeletal support. You have to take calcium supplements if you show signs of a deficiency or if you are a postmenopausal woman. Calcium supplements are formulated as carbonate, citrate, gluconate, phosphate and lactate. The first two are the most common. The choice of which calcium supplement to take depends on your ability to tolerate it.

Coral Calcium

Coral calcium is limestone or a carbonate salt of calcium derived from fossilized coral reefs. Most of the coral calcium sold is obtained from the shores of Okinawa, Japan. Coral accumulates calcium because its chemical structure is similar to that of the human bone. However, coral calcium is not a pure form of calcium carbonate because of its source. Small amounts of magnesium and other minerals can be found in coral calcium.

Health Claims

Sellers of coral calcium claim the supplement is responsible for the optimum health enjoyed by generations of people in Okinawa and that it is superior to other forms of calcium. Robert Barefoot, a prominent champion of coral calcium, claims the mineral can alkalize the body and treat over 200 diseases caused by calcium deficiency. Most health claims from proponents of coral calcium therapy emphasize the overt acidity in the body and reversing it with the mineral. Despite the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's push for the removal of such claims, coral calcium is still marketed that way, as of 2011.

Expert Opinions

There is no scientific data to support the claim that coral calcium is superior to regular calcium for health. The supplement provides the same elemental calcium with the same bioavailability as other calcium carbonate. The presence of trace elements in coral calcium does not give it special status since these elements can be obtained from everyday diet and they are not available in appreciable amounts in coral calcium.

Notable Concerns

Since living coral reefs are endangered, coral calcium manufacturers have shifted to using limestone deposits. It takes considerable time for coral to grow and harvesting it can impact its environment. Okinawa coral reefs are reported to have absorbed unsafe amounts of lead and mercury, which can pose serious public health problems in the unregulated supplement market.