Coral Calcium

A few days ago the Federal Trade Commission announced that it has charged
the marketers of Coral Calcium with making false and unsubstantiated claims
about the product's health benefits through television infomercials. In a
separate action, the FTC charged Trudeau (the host of the infomercial) with
violating a 1998 federal district court order that prohibits him from making
unsubstantiated claims on any products. Looks like some people never learn.

Kim Dalzell, PhD, RD, LD, Director, Holistic Nutrition Services, Author,
Challenge Cancer and Win!

I too, wondered if there would be benefits in taking Coral Calcium after viewing the infomercial. I ordered it, and as advised, did the saliva test to determine where my "health" was at the time. The test strip showed "perfect health", when administered as directed. Problem was, I knew at the time, I had cancer, had surgically had first removed, followed with radiation, and at the present time of beginning the CC, it was showing up as metastasized to my lungs. So the first indication was that the entire thing may be a hoax...My test strip should have shown yellow, not blue! Then I began researching on the WEB, found that many of the statements, etc, on the infomercial were not true...I had also ordered the book...Death by Diet. Much of what is "quoted" from Medical journals, it appears, is taken out of context, in D by Diet...etc. So I now try to eat healthy, do take calcium, vitamin E, A, C, D, and feel very well, although I am presently undergoing chemo after one surgical removal of nodule from lungs. I have learned to listen, then research a lot of what I hear...many sources...before I take it wholeheartedly.

Didn't the same thing happen to Cancer Treatment Centers of America back in 1996? Federal Trade Commission allegated that they made false and unsubstantiated claims in advertising and promoting their cancer treatments. The FTC alleged that the respondents could not back up claims, among others, that through certain specific procedures such as "whole body hyperthermia" and "brachytherapy," they were able to successfully treat certain forms of cancer unresponsive to conventional treatment. The respondents also allegedly failed to substantiate a claim that their five-year survivorship rate had ranked among the highest recorded for cancer patients. Is the FTC aways right?

Dear Vickie,

Indeed, the FTC may not "always be right", but we at CTCA very much respect the role that FTC plays in the protection of the public from false and misleading claims of advertisers. There are certainly many of them out there, especially in the health care and pharma sectors. It is precisely because of the significant scrutiny that FTC gives these types of claims that CTCA is diligent in its efforts to ensure that its claims are fair and true.

I have been in contact with Steve Kroll, our attorney at CTCA who informs that CTCA's policy is to make only claims of efficacy of protocols or treatments if proven by preponderance of independent studies. Also, CTCA complies fully with all regulatory requirements governing the use of testimonial advertising and disclaimers.

CTCA is fortunate to have periodic communication with FTC attorneys regarding its advertisements. The FTC action that you reference (which concluded in 1996) involved a variety of advertisements that CTCA ran from 1989 to 1991. Just like FTC has placed an increased emphasis and has devoted an increased amount of resources to regulation of health and diet claims during the past few years, CTCA is in a different place today with regard to its advertising than it was 12 years ago.

I hope this helps to clarify things.

Sincerely,

Kim Dalzell, PhD, RD, LD
Director, Holistic Nutrition Services

Hi! I have ovarian cancer and I would love to find out more about Coral Calcium -- can you give me more information on it? And what do you mean by alcalized water?

Thank you!

Oby T.
Naperville, IL

Dear Vickie,
I have recently completed extensive research on coral calcium. The marketers of coral calcium claim it is a cancer "cure"; which is probably why they are undergoing FTC investigation now. Unsubstantiated claims aside, coral calcium is nothing more than calcium carbonate with a few minerals added. You can obtain the same form of calcium at your drug store for much less money. Coral calcium marketers also claim that it has magical curative powers because it is harvested in areas like Okinawa, where the people rarely get sick or diseased because they "consume 100 times the RDA of minerals and vitamins". While those who live in Okinawa are indeed quite healthy, they do die of cancer and other degenerative diseases. Their longevity is probably associated with their lifestyle and indigenous diet--they don't sit on couches and eat potato chips like we tend to do! Calcium intake has been linked to reduced colon polyp formation, but these results weren't achieved by coral calcium, but by regular supplemental calcium. All said and evaluated, coral calcium is hype and expensive hype at that. Better to spend your money elsewhere.

For individualized dietary recommendations, consider Cancer Resource Center over-the-phone dietary counseling. Call 800.940.2822 for details about how this service may help guide your nutrition and dietary supplement decisions.

Kim Dalzell, PhD, RD, LD
Director, Holistic Nutrition Services
Cancer Resource Center
Author, Challenge Cancer and Win!

I have breast cancer and have been taking Robert Barefoot's coral calcium supplements since my last chemo treatment in March. While I was undergoing chemo, my oncologist didn't want me to take any vitamins or supplements. I think the coral calcium is wonderful. I feel great. When your brother finishes chemo, I suggest he start taking it too. I took the coral calcium while I was undergoing radiation and didn't have any problems. Good luck!

My wife has CLL. She was diagnosed in DEC OF 1997. We had short periods of remission between times. Jun 2002 the oncologist said I was much to up set. Her time had not come yet. Sept 2002 he said she would not live thru Christmas. She was receiving a double chemo every month as well as 2 transfusions; white count shot and most everything money could buy. Her chemo was usually given on a hemoglobin of between 8.5 and and 9.5. She was fair game for chemo 8 or over. The chemo would put her down as low as 4.5 (hospital time). Then he figured it to come in at a 6 - 6.5 after a double chemo. Hemolitic anemia developed. Yes I was scared and my wife was very sick. Oct 2002 I found on the net (University of Maryland) that to treat Hemolitic anemia we should try Vits. and Minerals. At this point we tried Bob Barefoots Coral Calcium. I learned in my 2nd grade health class that calcium makes bones so it was only natural to try it. Bones make marrow, good marrow makes good oxygen rich blood and cancer cannot grow where there is oxygen. It worked. In Dec 2002 She was taking the 2 chemos in Nov. and no transfusions. Her counts were COMING UP. Again NO TRANSFUSIONS. 3,000 MG of the Coral Calcium and Whole food Entergizers with organic mushrooms in them.

Due to way too much chemo she also had Sinus Disease and Mersa. Very sick. Along with the Calcium and the Whole food entergizers she had 60 bags of vancomycin. The Dr said the vancromycin did not work.. Then we found a Dr. that was giving her bags of Vit. and Minerals by I V.

She is now in a good solid remission. Her Dr. at Zion wondered why she was there.
I am here to say Coral Calcium did work well for her. I also have heard rumors that some one is dumping lead batteries around the coral beds and traces of lead are being found in the calcium. There is other good calcium.
Calcium does build good solid bones. My wife fell in front of the hospital, ate a mouth full of concrete, and broke 3 teeth. Amazing not 1 broken bone period. In between times our oncologist saved her life 4 times but quit us when she started to show good signs of improvement. Simple .He said the trust was broken. I thought I was fighting Leukemia but that was not the case.

We are now having the best Christmas since 1996. Thank you God.

Does anyone know if coral calcium has been helpful in treating melanoma?  I started taking Barefoot's coral calcium after seeing an infomercial to releave leg pain.  Within 10 days it totally disappeared.  After about three months people started mentioning how improved my face looked and asking what was I doing.  I had precancerous spots on my face of the type that can only be treated by what I call the "pizza pie treatment"  (Your face looks like pizza for 4 to 6 weeks while applying the  cream, and you can't wear makeup).  When I went for my six month visit to the dermatologist, she asked what had I been doing as "your face looks so much better."  After  examining me, she stated she now could treat it with a more conventional burning which she did with no dramatically ugly look to  my skin and  I could use makeup to cover the healing.

I continued to use coral calcium for a couple of years.  Then I got cheap and stopped using it in favor of drugstore calcium my gp recommended, and guess what, no the leg pain didn't return, but the facial skin areas returned.  I started a coral calcium (not Barefoot) about two weeks ago, and my face is about 60% totally healed already and looks better by the day!  This is the truth.  

I have no financial or other interest in coral calcium, and I'm not a scientist or medical person but I have been in the health care field for about 15 years.  A very overweight nurse I used to work with could hardly get up from her chair but after taking coral calcium for a few weeks she could easily raise herself and of course, she swears by it. This is just anecdotal evidence as yours is, but it works for me!!  And certainly scientists and doctors have no financial incentive to approve of coral calcium.  Maybe they just haven't figured out why it works sometimes, so they deny it can work.  Unfortunately they will never prove that it works, because no pharmacological company will do the research necessary to prove coral calcium works because they can't make money off of something that already sells so cheaply.

My son has already had two bouts of Melanoma and has been part of a trial of a new treatment--so far so good, but I think he should take coral calcium.  Any comments?  Annha 

Dear  stephanie

Hi how you doing?

I was wondering were do you get your essiac tea from. For i am in need of essiac for a relative?

Thankyou Michael