Re: the calcium thing

[Guest guest]

I am not engaged in a witch hunt against the maker of Nature's Science

calcium citrate product. And, no, we do not " all know " who makes

Nature's Science products. For the record, Nature's Science is a

brand/trademark owned by ATF Fitness/Sci-Fit Nutrition, 140 Pennsylvania

Avenue, Oakmont, PA 15139, , info@...,

http://www.scifitauthentic.com. That is the company which manufacturers

and distributes Nature's Science products.

The particular product in question is Calcium Citrate Magnesium &

Vitamin D. I have never said it was an inferior product or that there

was a superior product that should be taken instead. Taken in adequate

amounts, the combination of calcium citrate, magnesium and vitamin D is

excellent for the needs of weight loss surgery patients. The vitamin D

aids in absorbing the calcium through the intestinal walls. The

magnesium aids in assimilating the calcium into the bones.

Yes, I do participate in the marketing of a calcium supplement that is

designed to meet the needs of weigh loss surgery patients. I have never

suggested that this particular product is superior to Nature's Science.

If fact, I have never mentioned the product. I am very content to let

the product stand on its own merits without tearing down competing

products.

The issue I have raised with the Nature's Science product is its

labeling claim that a two capsule serving contains " Calcium Citrate

1000 mg 100% DV. " The implication of this claim is that a two capsule

serving of that product contains 1000 mg of elemental calcium, which

would be 100% of the FDA's established DV (Daily Value) for calcium.

This is not what the statement says, but only those very familiar with

FDA labeling requirements would know the difference. The statement

" Calcium Citrate 1000 mg 100% DV " is a non sequitur because there is

no DV for calcium citrate. There is a DV for " calcium (citrate) " or

" calcium as citrate " though, 1000 mg.

The article to which you referred us commented on misleading statements

often made regarding the actual amount of ELEMENTAL calcium in calcium

supplement products. It cautioned that statement " calcium as citrate "

referred to the amount of ELEMENTAL calcium in a product, but that the

statements by compound name, such as " calcium citrate, " referred to the

amount in a compound containing both ELEMENTAL calcium and compound

byproducts. The article noted that there would be substantially less

ELEMENTAL calcium in an equivalent amount supplement of labeled " calcium

citrate " than in one labeled " calcium as citrate. " I was merely

pointing out a real life example of this occurring.

My point was that the Nature's Science claim " Calcium Citrate 1000 mg

100% DV " falls into the misleading category because it suggests there is

1000 mg elemental calcium when in fact there is only 1000 mg of calcium

citrate, which would contain substantially less than 1000 mg elemental

calcium. I know from reading group emails that people have been lead

into believing there is a product out there which contains 1500 mg

elemental calcium in three small calcium citrate supplement capsules.

There is no such product on the market, nor, due to capsule size

limitations, is it physically possible for such a product to be

manufactured and distributed for human consumption in the United States.

As noted earlier, in proper amounts, the Nature's Science supplement

basic formula is quite acceptable for weight loss surgery patient

usage. The purchaser should be aware though that the two capsule

serving contains only 210-290 mg of elemental calcium, not 1000 mg as

the label suggests. If taken in three five (or six) capsule dosages a

day, the user should expect excellent results. If taken in three one

capsule dosages a day, the user should expect whatever consequences

follow from a 315-435 mg daily supplementation regimen.

I can easily be proven wrong on this. All someone has to do is contact

ATF Fitness/Sci-Fit Nutrition and get them to truthfully answer the

question " How much elemental calcium is there in a single Calcium

Citrate Magnesium & Vitamin D capsule? " . When I called to inquire, at

first they tried to tell me 500 mg. After I insisted that it was

impossible for there to be 500 mg of elemental calcium in 500 mg of

calcium citrate, they said they would call me back with an answer. I am

still waiting. (I will have an answer as soon as the results come back

from the laboratory that is performing a quantitative analysis on the

product sample I have sent them.) Maybe someone else will have better

luck in getting an answer from them. If they tell you there is 500 mg

of elemental calcium in 500 mg of calcium citrate, you can know that is

not true a la Dr. Weil.

Ray Hooks

For WLS nutrition info, visit

http://www.bariatricsupplementsystem.com

Sue Barr wrote:

>

> First I want to apologize to everyone for starting or restarting this whole

> debate over calcium citrate. The whole reason I posted the link to Dr

> Weil's article was that I was pleased to see that someone in the medical

> community is finally realizing that citrate is the calcium of choice (as

> opposed to Tums/chalk)

>

> What I can't understand is why Ray seems to be on such a witch hunt against

> the maker of the Nature's Science calcium. (and I think we all know who it

> is....) If the product that Ray sells is so superior....then it should

> stand head and shoulders above the rest on it's own merits. What do he have

> to gain by attacking one merchant in particular? Is he perhaps feeling

> threatened?

>

> Seems to me that our labs and dexascans give us a clue on whether what we

> are doing is good or bad. If the dexascan shows osteopenia and taking X mgs

> of XYZ product result in an improvement.....well that says something for

> the product, doesn't it?

>

> Just my $.02 worth

>

> Sue in Las Vegas

>

>