Heated Oyster Shell-Seaweed Calcium (AAA Ca) on Osteoporosis

Abstract

A randomized, prospective, double-blind test was carried out to compare the effects of heated oyster shell-seaweed calcium (AAA Ca), calcium carbonate, and placebo in 58 elderly, hospitalized women with the mean age of 80 divided into three groups. Group A received 900 mg/day Ca as AAA Ca, Group B 900 mg/day Ca as CaCO3, and Group C placebo besides regular hospital diet containing approximately 600 mg Ca/day for 24 months. From the 25th to the 30th month, all groups were given AAA Ca. Lumbar spine and radial bone mineral density (BMD) were measured at 3-month intervals. Urinary Ca/Cr and serum alkaline phosphatase, intact and midportion serum parathyroid hormone (PTH), and calcitonin were also measured at intervals. From the 6th to the 24th month of the study, the ratio of lumbar spine BMD (L2-L4 by DPX, Lunar) to the basal pretest value was consistently and significantly higher in Group A than Group C but not higher in Group B than in Group C. PTH, measured 12 months after the beginning of the study, was lower in Group A than in Group C, but no significant difference was found between Groups B and C. At 3 months after the placebo was switched to AAA Ca in Group C, serum PTH was significantly decreased from the level during placebo supplement. Morning urine Ca/Cr decreased in Groups A after 18 months and in B after 12 months, but not in C. Serum alkaline phosphatase decreased in Group A significantly compared with Group C, but not in Group B. AAA Ca appears to be effective for increasing BMD in elderly subjects.

Osteoporosis: Past, present and future

“…AAA Ca was shown to have a higher bioavailability than calcium carbonate based on urinary calcium excretion 2-4 h after an oral load of 1000 mg [16]. In a 2-year randomized, prospective, double-masked study in elderly women with a mean age of 80 years, 900 mg/day AAA Ca significantly increased the lumbar spine bone mineral density above the level achieved by placebo or calcium carbonate, and decreased the levels of serum PTH and alkaline phosphatase [17]. An increase in radial trabecular bone density measured by peripheral quantitative computed tomogtraphy (pQCT) was detectable as early as 4 months.…”

Magnesium Supplementation through Seaweed Calcium Extract Rather than Synthetic Magnesium Oxide Improves Femur Bone Mineral Density and Strength in Ovariectomized Rats

“…Commercially available seaweed Ca extract is a widely used food supplement in Asian countries due to their high Ca but low phosphorus content which helps the efficiency of Ca absorption [10,11]. A randomized study looking at seaweed Ca and bone health was conducted by Fujita and colleagues [10].…”

“…A randomized study looking at seaweed Ca and bone health was conducted by Fujita and colleagues [10]. After they supplied for 30 months heated oyster shell-seaweed Ca to an elderly group whose average age was 80, the ratio of lumbar spine bone mineral density to the basal pretest value of the subject group was significantly higher than that of the placebo group.…”

“…However, there was no difference in the ratio of lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) between the placebo control group and the positive control group, which were supplied inorganic Ca through CaCO 3 . The study reported that heated oyster shell-seaweed Ca had a significant effect on increasing bone density [10].…”

Heated oyster shell with algal ingredient (AAACa) decreases urinary oxalate excretion

“…However, the relationship between the kind of calcium compound and urinary oxalate excretion has not been studied in detail. In this study, therefore, the effect of Ca in the form of commonly used calcium carbonate and readily absorbable AAA Ca (active absorbable algal calcium; heated oyster shell with addition of heated seaweed [4][5][6][7] on urinary oxalate excretion was compared with placebo in nine normal subjects in a crossover design. It appears worthwhile to compare AAACa with calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) as to the capacity of binding oxalate in the intestinal lumen and inhibiting its absorption.…”