What About Life Glow Containing DiCalcium Phosphate?   I understand it is deadly!

This is the Page Containing The Original Claims By Fraudulent Companys:  DCP is dangerous!

Here is the lie exposed by a Real Expert!

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DiCalcium Phosphate

Taken From A Fraudulent Company News Letter

Experience and Research

This discussion is in response to the numerous questions from people wanting more information about DCP (Di-Calcium Phosphate or Dibasic Calcium Phosphate).  Our position appears to be contrary to the majority of manufacturers and distributors of nutritional products.  our decision is based on research and years of experience watching results of dietary supplement intake on hair mineral analysis reports.

The Origin of DCP

Mined from deposits within the earth's crust, calcium phosphate is known by many synonyms such as "lime," "hardware lime," "calcium lime" or "dolomite."  Mixed samples of the substance may have a high percentage of impurities imbedded in them which may be harmful.  For instance, one of the compounds found in DCP may be lead.  Dolomite, in particular, has been singled out as containing a high percentage of lead.

While we refer to DCP as Di-Calcium Phosphate, the term is used broadly to include all forms of calcium phosphate.  Some deposits may be slightly higher proportionately as regards to particular ingredients.  Whatever the differences, all are considered forms of calcium phosphate and act metabolically in a similar manner.

Absorption and Breakdown Problems

Incapable of breaking down completely, DCP is a poor source of maintaining or replacing calcium in your bones.  Like all forms of calcium, it will dissolve in stomach hydrochloric acid (HCl).  However, being bound to phosphate, DCP is not totally soluble in stomach acid.  When only partially reduced in HCl, it is reduced enough to absorb, but insufficiently for proper metabolism.  As calcium collects in the arteries, it may cause arteriosclerotic heart disease.  Should this element end up in the tissues, it may cause premature aging by encouraging excessive wrinkling of the skin.   The problems DCP may cause in soft tissues deserve further discussion.

Excessive DCP Found in Patients with Tendinitis, Weakening of Bones, Kidney Stones

Analyzing the calcium, phosphorous, and salt content of muscle fiber patients, researchers have discovered that all patients suffering from calcifying tendonitis showed elevated levels of both calcium and phosphorous.  The presence of these elements implies that they play a role in the development  of calcifying, degenerating tendinitis.

A 1997 abstract from the National Kidney Foundation points the finger at abnormal calcium and phosphate levels (combined with calcitriol metabolism ensuing from renal failure) as causing secondary hyperparathyroidism (which can lead to weakening of the bones and the formation of kidney stones) as well as renal ostendystrophy.  After 35 years of age, our calcium balance tends to become negative;  however, current dialysis treatments provide renal disease patients -- regardless of age -- with excessive calcium.  it seems that the current thrice-weekly renal replacement therapies fail to remove the daily absorbed phosphate.  In order to reduce  internal phosphate absorption, calcium carbonate has to be used as a primary phosphate-binding agent.   According to the abstract, "the large calcium mass transfer and phosphate retention could lead to soft tissue calcification, especially in older end-stage renal disease patients."

Facts To Remember About DCP

In spite of its industry-wide use, DCP:

• is non-hygroscopic by nature (will not absorb water).  This makes it nearly "insoluble" by those with a limited supply of hydrochloric acid (HCl).   When sufficient HCl is present, the DCP tablets will break down; however, they can contribute to soft tissue calcification.
• contains inorganic calcium; not the best sources of the element.
• is cited as a possible cause of kidney stones
• is an alkalizer which could neutralize hydrochloric acid and conceivably hinder the absorption of minerals.
• is a mineral antagonist, particularly with such elements as manganese.

The most common kidney stones are made of calcium oxalate, a hard salt compound, or calcium oxalate mixed with calcium phosphate.  It appears that 70 to 80 percent of kidney stones are made of these calcium salts.  In The Kidney Stones Handbook, author Gail Colomb mentions that taking calcium-based supplements can increase the chance of stone formation in some people.

Absorption Inhibiting

A 1982 Science News article stated that if a child should swallow some liquid lead paint the ingestion of a cola drink could possibly counteract the normal absorption processes and prevent the lead from being absorbed.

While the aforementioned story had a happy ending, phosphate's non-absorbable character can also create problems.  For instance, supplements containing dicalcium phosphate may form a nonabsorable complex with tetracycline.  When you consider that tetracycline drugs are commonly used to treat such conditions as bronchitis and certain types of pneumonia, this propensity could create an inconvenient situation, to say the least.

We take Exception to DCP

We have found it difficult to discover a single company which does not include DCP in either the tablet or capsule base in any of their products. Many companies use DCP in at least a few of their tablet products; some use it extensively.

Because we take exception to DCP, Fraudulent Companys is an exception to this trend.   DCP is a phosphate, it may inhibit nutrient absorption even though tablets or capsules.

Fraudulent Companys

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Leading Nutritional Scientists Exposes
False Claims Made By Fraudulent Companys
About DCP
(DiCalcium Phosphate)

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[Under threat of lawsuit by "Fraudulent Company" this expert had to beg me to NOT use his name!]
 

I have examined the material you sent me entitled "Secret #2" and "They must dissolve," copyright 1995 by Fraudulent Companys System.  This is some of the most incredible nonsense I have ever encountered.  Most of it is incorrect, and much of it is internally inconsistent and self-0contradictory.  I will discuss it paragraph by paragraph.  First, however, it is important to recognize that what the author describes as di-calcium phosphate is really dibasic calcium phosphate, CaHPO4.  There also exist monobasic calcium phosphate, Ca(H2PO4) and tribasic calcium phosphate, Ca3(PO4)2.

Secret #2

Paragraph 1)  I have no problem with this.

P 2 & 3)  The point of these paragraphs is that dibasic calcium phosphate is a binder with terrible nutritional properties and is poorly absorbed by the body.  as you are aware, dibasic calcium phosphate is NOT a binder and has no physical or chemical properties which would make it useful as one.  Dibasic calcium phosphate is instead used as a filler, because it is inert, unreactive, and cheap.   The zillion other names by which it goes are unfamiliar to me unless the author refers to the other phosphate sales of calcium, as I outlined above, or unless he means various trade names (just as Cheerios are called Cheerios by their manufacturer and not "roasted oats shaped like little doughnuts."_

Anyway, I know of no manufacturer who deliberately attempts to disguise the use of dibasic calcium phosphate, because it is innocuous.  Further, none of the calcium phosphates have any property similar to cement.  The only true statement in these paragraphs is that dibasic calcium phosphate is not absorbed well by the body, because it is only very slightly soluble in water or stomach acid.  This is why most calcium supplements use calcium carbonate, citrate, or glycerophosphate as calcium sources.

These salts are water soluble and the calcium assimilable, dibasic calcium phosphate is not well absorbed and passes pretty well unchanged through the digestive system.

The author then attributes blocked blood vessels, joint discomfort, kidney stones, gallstones, Alzheimer's, excess calcium in the hair, improper absorption of other nutrients, and premature aging to the use of dibasic calcium phosphate.  All of these conditions are associated with excess concentrations of calcium in various parts of the body beyond the digestive system, with the possible exception of premature aging, whatever that means. But the author can't possibly have it both ways. 

If dibasic calcium phosphate is very poorly soluble, and it is, then how does all this calcium get all through the body?? Into the hair, the kidneys, blood, synovial fluid, gall bladder, brain, etc.??  Why doesn't it just go right through and be excreted?? Of course, that's exactly what does happen.

The last part of the 3rd paragraph discusses the "fact" that, since dibasic calcium phosphate is not very soluble it is "incompletely reduced," and therefore not properly metabolized.  This makes no sense.  The thermodynamic equilibrium constant for the dissociation of dibasic calcium phosphate controls the extend of dissociation and the amount of free calcium ions released into the stomach;  once these ions have dissociated they may be metabolized.  There exists absolutely no evidence of any kind in the scientific literature that they end up preferentially in soft tissue sites.  The lack of such evidence may explain why the so-called holistic medical community has seen fit to invent the name "blocking agent" to describe behavior which does not occur.

Paragraph 4)  As I have explained above, calcium which does not dissolve (in other words, the dibasic calcium phosphate to which the author objects so strongly) cannot reach the arteries to cause arteriosclerotic disease, cannot reach the joints to cause arthritis, and cannot cause wrinkles and premature aging.  The second part of the paragraph, which outlines how free phosphate can tie up mineral nutrients and inhibit their absorption, is true, but irrelevant.  Dibasic calcium phosphate contains no free phosphate; it is already tied up by the calcium.  Just as the calcium in dibasic calcium phosphate is not absorbable because it is complexed by the phosphate; neither is the phosphate free to complex other metal ions, because it is complexed by the calcium.

Paragraph 5)  this refers to the various calcium salts I discussed above.

They Must Dissolve

Paragraph 1)  Leaving aside the fact that very few people are deficient in stomach acid, and that most tablets do both disintegrate and dissolve, it is certainly true that a tablet which does not disintegrate may not release all its active ingredient.  This is why careful formulators include tablet disintegrants in their tablet formulations.  The presence or absence of dibasic calcium phosphate has no particular relationship with the dis integration or dissolution time of a tablet formulated with a disintegrant.  As a matter of fact, there are some occasions where calcium phosphate sales are added to formulations to make the tablet disintegrate more rapidly.

Further, in this paragraph DCP is called a strong alkalizer, and reference is made to Tums as a well known alkalizing calcium product.  Tums contains calcium carbonate not calcium phosphate.  The carbonate anion is the alkalizer, as it neutralizes stomach acid.  The dibasic phosphoric acid anion exists only between pH 3 and 7 (in acid solution) and will not neutralize acids; carbonate ions exist only above approximately pH 10, in strongly alkaline solution.

Paragraph 2)  Studies showing that tablets become harder and disintegrate more slowly as they get older don't particularly surprise me, but this is true regardless of whether they are formulated using dibasic calcium phosphate or not.   There are probably ten other factors which can explain this phenomenon.   That's why most tablets bear an expiration or freshness date.

Paragraph 3)  All phosphates won't.   Only water-soluble phosphates, such as sodium or potassium phosphates, or free phosphoric acid, will interfere with the absorption of other mineral nutrients.   Because dibasic calcium phosphate is relatively insoluble, the phosphate it contains is unable to react with other minerals.

Paragraph 4)  More nonsense.  If one wanted to formulate a manganese product containing 30 mg manganese per tablet one would severely endanger is customer, as this is a massive overdose.  If one instead was to formulate a 5 mg manganese tablet weight 700 mg he would probably use 10 mg manganese carbonate (which is about 50% manganese by weight), about 140 mg microcrystalline cellulose as a binder, 520 mg dibasic calcium phosphate (which contains only 150 mg calcium, not 300) as a filler, and 20 mg of lubricant and disintegrant.  I present this illustration primarily to show that the author knows no0thing about tablet formulation;' there is no relation between the amount of insoluble dibasic calcium phosphate and the absorption of whatever manganese is present in the tablet.

Paragraph 5 - 7)  This is just hype.  if these folks want to eliminate dibasic calcium phosphate from their tablets that's fine, but it has no objectionable qualities, and some fillers are certainly necessary, as shown in the previous paragraph where the formulation contains about 75% by weight filler.  if they don't use calcium phosphates, then what do they use?  other common and cheap tablet fillers are calcium sulfate, to which I would presume they might have similar objections, various sugars, starches, and flocs, dairy whey, etc.  Many consumers object to these fillers for other dietary reasons.  You must use something; what do they use.

Please call me if you have other questions about this.  I've enclosed a copy of my C.V for your use so you wouldn't think I'm as dumb as those guys.

Best Regards,

[Withheld under threat of extortion]

Curriculum Vitae

Experience:  [Some deleted to preserve privacy]

    Provides consulting and information services to the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries in the areas of regulatory affairs, labeling, quality assurance & control, and produce development.

Vita-Fresh Vitamin Company, Inc. (1985-1986)

    Vice President of Science & Technology for major manufacturer of vitamin supplements & OTC drugs.  Reformulated major product line for enhanced sales appeal and 6-figure annual manufacturing cost saving.   Created product and raw material specifications and revised operating manual and drug master file.

    Technical Director.  Responsible for regulatory affairs, product development, and QA & QC for this manufacturer of nutritional supplements & OTC products.  Ensured compliance of formulations, labeling, advertising, sales and technical literature with appropriate laws and regulations of federal and state authorities.

Abbot Laboratories, Diagnostics Division (1972 - 1985)

    QA/QC for manufacturer of in vitro diagnostic reagents.   analytical methods development, stability operating procedures, GMP audits, etc.

Education:

B.S. Chemistry, Stanford University 1966.  Independent research on preparative ruthenium chemistry with Prof. Henry Taube, 183 Nobel laureate.

PhD Inorganic Chemistry, Penn State University 1973.  Dissertation: "Electronic & Molecular Structures of Platinum Group Aquochloro & Chlorocarbonyl Complexes"

Member:

    American Chemical Society

    American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists

    Institute of Food Technologists

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