The Advacal story is fascinating and instructive.
Most scientific studies report that stopping or reversing bone loss in old age is very difficult. And that is what is fascinating about Advacal is that it was developed by a medical scientist in Japan, a country where Osteopenia and Osteoporosis seldom develops until people reach advanced ages. The researcher, Dr. Fujita, needed to find something that would work to restore bone density in very old persons.
Dr. Fujita was a well known Japanese researcher. The National Center for Biotechnology Information. He studied calcium supplements for Osteopenia and Osteoporosis and he wanted to find a calcium supplement that would work for very old Japanese nursing home residents. So he concentrated on the problem of calcium absorption. (And that is where the supplement Advacal comes in.)
In 1990 Fujita published the results of a controlled study of the effect of Calcium supplementation in females with Osteoporosis in the Journal Bone and Mineral October 11 (1): 85 - 91.
In this study Dr. Fujita compared a specially prepared form of oyster shell calcium that was later manufactured under the name, Advacal. Fujita compared the effect of this specially prepared calcium on bone density with the effects of calcium carbonate,. a form of calcium that was known to be well absorbed. Fujita studied 12 elder osteoporosic females and found that 900mg/day of his Oyster shell electolysate (OSE) raised serum calcium more readily than calcium carbonate.
He concluded that Oyster shell electolysate may favorably influence osteoporosis by providing a readily available source of calcium." (Note his very careful language, "OSE may favorably influence"..... I love the caution of scientific researchers!)
More of the Advacal Story: As the years went by more positive outcomes from his studies accumulated. Dr. Fujita became firmer in his claims about this special form of calcium. Then in 2005 a study concluded: "AAA Ca [is] the best absorbed from the intestine than other available calcium compounds. . ." (Italics added).
Note: If you want to buy this supplement, Amazon has some in stock. Just type Advacal in the #ad Amazon search box: Buy Advcal
Another study was published in Clinical Calcium 2005. Jan. 15 (1) 87 -93 Among other things this study explained how Advacal is made.
It states: "Active Absorbable Algal Calcium (AAA Ca) is made by submaximally (800 degrees ) heating cleaned oyster shell under reduced pressure and mixing it with similarly heated seaweed (Cystophyllum fusiforme)."
What is the significance of 'active absorbable"? Absorption is one of the BIG problems with calcium supplements. Calcium is a mineral so it is very for us to absorb . In fact, much of the calcium taken as supplements simply goes through the digestive system and winds up in the toilet.
Why the Advacal story is important. Other calcium supplements are absorbed but often they never make it to bone formation. Instead the calcium is deposited in a person's joints. This joint deposited calcium contributes to the aches and pains of our older years.
What is necessary to repair the damage of osteopenic, osteoporosic bone, is for calcium to be absorbed and utilized in bone formation. THAT is what Fujita's specially treated oyster shell and seaweed seems to do.
Note: In recent years there has been some concern about lead contamination in Calcium supplements. I asked manufacturer of Advacal about this and they said that the special preparation of this supplement means that lead is not a problem for Advacal.
(If you want to see ALL forms the that Advacal comes in, just click this link to Amazon: Advacal . You will go to a page with all the forms of Advacal currently on the market.
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