Ivan, et al-- I had couldn't find contact info for Dr. Barefoot, so I emailed the following question to a prof. with PhD's in nutrition science and biochemistry. ANY INSIGHTS INTO THIS ISSUE ARE WELCOME...please! - - - - - - - - Greetings--
I sought you out because of your credentials, in hopes of resolving conflicting claims among various nutritional companies regarding dietary minerals. I appreciate how busy you must be, but my need of objective input is acute! A certain Dr. Barefoot claims 'miraculous' cures from a calcium supplement made from white Okinawan sand, which consists of natually pulverized coral, which is mostly calcium carbonate. Any acid should drive CO2 off from CaCO3, leaving an ionic solution of calcium. In an interview (http://www.coral-calcium-one.com/dr__barefoot_interview.htm), Dr. Barefoot seems to mention only two advantages of the liquid "Coral Calcium" product over the *chalk* found in Tums: (1) it is a solution of Ca++ ions that's pre-digested (acid-treated, requiring no additional hydrochloric acid from the stomach), and (2) it contains many other trace minerals left by the microbial activity of the coral colony in seawater. In additional , Dave Hinkson also makes some interesting points (http://www.asnutrition.com/zim_water_oz.asp -- click the "Listen" button; ~4 min.) in favor of ionic mineral solutions, e.g., calcium (http://www.kornax.com/WaterOz_Liquid_Minerals_Supplements.htm). On the other hand, many manufacturers claim that "chelated" (protein-enveloped?) minerals, the form assimilated by plants, are the most "bioavailable." Some say the body recognizes *calcuim orotate* most readily as a chelated, or "food-state" form. So...are minerals in ionic solution best absorbed and utilized by the various cells?--i.e., isn't the purpose of human digestion to break chemical bonds into mineral ions, anyway?--or must minerals be combined with protiens to be usable? Or, are both states, depending on the metabolic process involved? Or, is it that minerals are ultimately used in ionic from, but chelation were required as a delivery vehicle, to allow the mineral ions to reach the metabolic site without reacting prematurely with other substances? With respect to broad-spectrum, trace mineral supplements, there seem to be three basic choices depending on the correct answer: (1) The most generic type of mineral pills provides *chemical compounds* like calcium citrate, chromium picolinate, copper gluconate and ferrous fumerate (even IRON OXIDE has been marketed as a dietary iron supplement). (2) On the other hand, if *ionic solutions* are best, then "Sea Minerals" (www.seamineral.com) consists of concentrated sea water with 95% of the NaCl removed, an ionic solution of all the geological minerals (and chloride ions). (3) Alternatively, if the "food-state' or "chelated" form is best, then "Body Balance" (http://lifeforce-intl.com/USA/products/body_balance.asp) contains most of the sea minerals in the naturally occurring form of *seaweed juice*. Thanks profusely for your time! --Russ Rosser 256-546-5945 -- The silver-list is a moderated forum for discussion of colloidal silver. Instructions for unsubscribing may be found at: http://silverlist.org To post, address your message to: [email protected] Silver-list archive: http://escribe.com/health/thesilverlist/index.html List maintainer: Mike Devour <[email protected]>
