Calcium and Colon Cancer Prevention
An article in Nutrition Research may make you rethink your choice of a calcium supplement from a calcium isolate to a whole food calcium source like coral minerals—especially if you or your relatives have a history of colon-rectal cancer.
With both genetic and environmental implications, colon cancer has affected so many families; yet, it is one where nutritional and dietary approaches can help.
Indeed, to prevent colon cancer, one of the first recommendations experts make is that you: eat more organic fruits and vegetables, five to nine servings daily; limit fast food since fried foods contain oxidized chemicals that increase risk; stay away from processed meats such as luncheon/deli meats, jerky, sausage, bacon, ham, canned meat, Spamâ, pepperoni, and hot dogs preserved with sodium nitrite, which forms cancer-causing nitrosamines in the gut; choose healthy fats, especially foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, trout, tuna, flaxseed, walnuts, fish oils, and wheat germ; bake, steam, broil or grill foods instead of frying; and limit your alcohol consumption to heart healthy amounts.
You might also want to consider a calcium supplement. Many people who are taking calcium supplements to prevent bone loss already will be pleased to know that this nutrient also appears to inhibit nascent colon cancer cells. However, if they’re using a calcium carbonate product, they might not be pleased to know a coral mineral whole food supplement has the preventive edge over isolates.
Right now the current literature generally supports calcium as having a beneficial protective effect, although most researchers say larger studies are needed.
In the meantime, coral minerals with calcium as just one of their important whole food nutrients, have outperformed typical calcium carbonate supplements in head to head testing for colon cancer prevention and inhibition, both in the test tube and biological system. The information, while not conclusive by any means, is suggestive.
However, if you want to know why many people are taking coral minerals over calcium isolates, it is precisely because of research published in journals like Nutrition Research.[1]
In the study, the growth rates of colon cancer cells were observed in the test tube. According to the researchers, “Coral Calcium exhibited an inhibitory effect on the growth of cancer cells in weak alkaline (pH 7.5) culture medium (in vitro). In addition, the effect of Coral Calcium concentration against Colon 26 cancer cells was investigated using calcium carbonate as a control. The growth of the cancer cells tended to be inhibited at a greater concentration of Coral Calcium, in vitro.”
The effects of Coral Calcium arid calcium carbonate (control) against the colon cancer cells were compared in a biological system. “The activity of the [natural killer] cells and the number of macrophages in the group to which Coral Calcium was administered were greater than those in the group to which calcium carbonate was administered.”
Furthermore, in a vivo study, the effects at Coral Calcium concentrations were investigated. Coloncancer cells were used in a living system and followed by an investigation of the prophylactic effects (i.e.. as a cancer-inhibitory substance) of Coral Calcium against the metastasis of colon cancer cells in the lungs. The greater the dose of Coral Calcium, the greater the activity of NK cells and the number of macrophages increased. “The metastasis of the cancer cells in the lungs was significantly inhibited at a higher dose of Coral Calcium. Coral Calcium exerted an inhibitory effect on the metastases of the cancer cells to the lungs by activating natural killer (NK) cells and macrophages, thus resulting in preventing the proliferation of cancer cells.”
What this tells us is profound: calcium alone inhibits colon cancer cells but calcium synergized with trace minerals could be even more powerful.
That’s what these researchers said: “More interestingly, since there was a tendency for the cancer cells to be more inhibited by Coral Calcium than by calcium carbonate, it is considered than some trace elements contained in Coral Calcium could play a role in the inhibition of the cancer cells. The trace elements are known to have a wide variety of activities… Judging from histological findings and nodulation of the lungs and hematological findings, the cancer cells were assumed to be attacked by NK cells and macrophages in the blood after their inoculation and before arrival to the lungs (target organs), so that most of the cancer cells did not result in the formation of metastases in the lungs.
“Thus, it has been suggested that Coral Calcium consisting of calcium and trace elements activates NK cells and macrophages, and plays a supportive role in inhibiting the metastasis of the cancer cells to the lungs. This inhibitory effect of Coral Calcium against the proliferation of cancer cells can be considered an effect which puts the cancer cells to sleep (does not completely kill). Accordingly, we propose to designate such effect as a ‘cancer-sleeping effect.’”
Coral minerals contain every mineral known or thought to be important to human health. These minerals are predigested by the coral polyp and many experts believe this predigestive process makes them far different than calcium carbonate isolates. The coral calcium comes from an above-sea eco-safe source that is pristine from some 10,000 years ago before lead contaminated the planet (and our toys). As a result, coral minerals are both ecologically and physiologically great choices. In the case of anybody who wants to prevent colon cancer, it is important to have check ups regularly as your physician recommends; enjoy a great diet; and enjoy the multifaceted health benefits of coral minerals over calcium isolates.
[1] Hirota, Y. & Sugisaki, T. “Effects Of The Coral Calcium As An Inhibitory Substance AgainstColon Cancer And Its Metastasis In The Lungs.” Nutrition Research, Vol. 20, No. 11,pp. 1557-1567, 2000.
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