Re: coral Calcium

i have heard there is no such thing as coral calcium because coral is a protected species.  i know this is a quackwatch posting, but once in a while they have some good info:

Coral calcium" is a dietary supplement said to be derived from "remnants of living coral that have fallen from coral reefs, as a result of wave action or other natural processes." It is also said to be mined from the old ocean beds at the base of the coral reefs in Okinawa, Japan . Simply put, "coral remnants" are limestone, which coral organisms originally manufacture as a protective shell. Since coral reefs are protected by law, "coral calcium" is made by grinding up limestone that no longer contains live organisms.

Limestone has no unique health properties. It is merely calcium carbonate, with some magnesium and trace amounts of many other minerals. Limestone fertilizer, available at garden centers, costs as little as a dollar for an 80-pound bag. (Note: Limestone fertilizer is not suitable for human use as a calcium supplement. I mention it only to illustrate how inexpensive the raw ingredients can be.) For people who need to consume extra calcium, purified calcium carbonate pills are safer and far less expensive than "coral calcium."

http://www.quackwatch.org/search/webglimpse.cgi?ID=1&query=coral+calcium

Torrie