Are you concerned about calcium?

Osteoporosis is a very common disease in which reduced bone density leads to an increased risk of fracture. Osteoporosis-related bone fractures most often affect the wrist, spine, and hips, and can result in disfigurement, reduced mobility, and loss of independence. Bone density peaks before the age of 20 and begins to decline after 30. Women can lose between 2% and 5% of their bone density per year during menopause.¹

How widespread is osteoporosis in Canada? Currently, more than two million Canadians suffer from this disease, especially those over 50 years of age. In fact, 25% of women and 12% of men over 50 suffer from osteoporosis. The suffering associated with it is immense: 40% of women will experience an osteoporotic fracture after reaching the age of 50. Nearly 25% of those unlucky enough to suffer an osteoporotic hip fracture die within the first year.¹ 

Despite a high level of public awareness in Canada, osteoporosis often remains undiagnosed. Many people show no symptoms of reduced bone density, and more than a third of those who suffer a bone fracture are not examined (or treated) for bone density issues.¹ 

Slowing Down Osteoporosis

Developing strong bones during childhood and adolescence is the best way to prevent osteoporosis. However, after these periods of life, what is the optimal way to increase bone density to reduce the risk of osteoporosis? Exercise and a healthy diet are two of the most recommended measures.¹

Diet-wise, the mineral calcium is one of the best-known aids for slowing bone loss. During menopause, when the availability of calcium in the blood is insufficient, it is drawn from the bones, which reduces bone density. PTH (parathyroid hormone) is the hormone involved in the dissolution of calcium from bones. Low estrogen levels exacerbate calcium depletion. Due to such calcium depletion in the bones, many doctors advise women over 50 to ensure an intake of 1,200 mg of calcium per day from dietary sources and supplements.

Concerns about Calcium

One of the downsides of high-dose calcium intake is the potential risk to heart health. If calcium is not absorbed by the bones, it can accumulate in the arteries as plaque. Such accumulation can lead to narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis), which can cause reduced blood flow to the heart and lead to angina (chest pain) or, even worse, increase the likelihood of a heart attack if the narrowing is not discovered or treated for a long period.

Recently, the media has published various headlines, such as "Calcium pills taken by hundreds of thousands of women 'double heart attack risk and could do far more harm than good'" (Daily Mail, May 2012), which are causing consumers to question their use of calcium supplements.² A major study by the University of Auckland, which examined calcium supplement users in Germany, was behind the headlines and concluded that high-dose calcium supplements could in fact be linked to an increased incidence of heart attacks. The study was rather controversial and some believed that further studies were needed before drawing such a conclusion. The authors of the study concluded that calcium supplements alone, taken in isolation, were not as well utilized by the body as calcium from food sources.³

This raises two key questions. First, what would happen if a person could supplement their diet with calcium from a food source, complete with all the other nutrients present in food as nature intended? Would such calcium be safe and effective? Second, what do the recent findings about Vitamin K2 mean? Is this vitamin a potential solution to the problem of directing calcium to the bones instead of accumulating it in the arteries?

Plant-Sourced Calcium

Most calcium supplements on the market are derived from mined limestone. The dietary supplements used in the studies that raised concerns about calcium contained calcium from limestone. Since one does not often sit down to enjoy a meal consisting of rocks, it makes sense to use a supplement that looks more "food-like." The algae Lithothamnion calcareum is one such source: a living edible plant, rich in calcium and other nutrients. Marketed as Aquamin^MC, it is a red algae found along the coasts of Iceland that naturally contains over 30% elemental calcium. Most limestone-derived calcium supplements contain only calcium. Since Aquamin^MC is a food, the algae contains a complete set of minerals such as magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and trace minerals (boron, strontium, vanadium, copper, silica, selenium, zinc), all of which contribute to bone health.

The significant health effects of Lithothamnion calcareum algae on livestock, originally used as a natural fertilizer in Ireland, led to research into its effects on human health. Initial isolated reports of the algae's beneficial effects for arthritic problems led to in-depth studies. Several clinical studies later, Aquamin, the branded version of the algae, was born.

Aquamin^MC is sustainably harvested under a controlled thirty-year license issued by the Icelandic government. Harvesting activities are independently monitored and continuously researched to ensure they do not impact the ecosystem. Only fully calcified algae are harvested to allow younger algae to grow to maturity. The harvest area is strictly controlled to ensure material viability, and harvesting is monitored by GPS systems and divers. Aquamin^MC has been the subject of several clinical studies that have demonstrated its safety, absorbability, and effectiveness for bone health:

• Aquamin^MC has been shown to reduce PTH (parathyroid hormone) levels in the body more effectively than other forms of calcium. PTH reduces calcium content in bones by making it available to the rest of the body. High PTH levels are associated with the dissolution of calcium from bones and reduced bone mineral content, which can lead to osteoporosis. The positive PTH-reducing effect of Aquamin^MC has been observed in premenopausal and postmenopausal women and athletes who engage in non-impact sports (e.g., cycling), who have lower than normal bone mineral content.^4,5,6 It is difficult to measure the absorption of various forms of calcium. Absorption varies depending on the calcium source, the transport form, the particular organism absorbing the calcium, and food intake. The reduction of PTH levels in humans is so closely linked to calcium levels that Aquamin^MC's increased ability to reduce PTH is conclusive proof of its superior bioavailability. ⁵ It is believed that the porous nature of Aquamin^MC is key to its superior absorption compared to other forms of calcium.

• Studies on bone cells have shown that Aquamin^MC effectively remineralizes cells. Remineralization results in an increase in osteoblasts, which are responsible for forming new bones. Researchers have suggested that the synergistic effect of the mineral complex contained in Aquamin^MC is responsible for increased osteogenesis (bone formation activity).⁷

• Aquamin^MC has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce joint pain and stiffness. In fact, one clinical study showed that Aquamin^MC was as effective as glucosamine sulfate in reducing joint pain and more effective in reducing joint stiffness!^8,9