Why is there lead in calcium suplements-why this low quality

BaconBits

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I remember Ray Peat saying:" Most commercial supplements are of extremely low quality". Is he right here again
" http://suppversity.blogspot.com/2011/11 ... ls-of.html "

I wonder is Now Foods Calcium carbonate powder is safe, I wrote two emails to them and no reply?
I mean how can they even find this high levels, the legal limit USP is 28ppb, most of tested supplements are even registered as pharmaceutical drugs.
 

Gabriel

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Re: Why is there lead in calcium suplements-why this low qua

Thanks for pointing that out!

Interestingly, the higher lead was found in the Calcium + Vitamin C supplements and less in Calcium+Vitamin D supplements. I think Ray Peat wrote several times about the problem that Vitamin C supplements are often polluted with heavy metals, which is why he avoids them.

Is oyster shell calcium safe??
 

charlie

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Re: Why is there lead in calcium suplements-why this low qua

Gabriel said:
Is oyster shell calcium safe??

Oyster shell calcium smells really bad to me. Like some kind of chemical for stripping paint or something. :confused
 
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BaconBits

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Re: Why is there lead in calcium suplements-why this low qua

Gabriel said:
Thanks for pointing that out!

Interestingly, the higher lead was found in the Calcium + Vitamin C supplements and less in Calcium+Vitamin D supplements. I think Ray Peat wrote several times about the problem that Vitamin C supplements are often polluted with heavy metals, which is why he avoids them.

Is oyster shell calcium safe??

Wow, you are right, all very high in lead contain vitamin C. I fond nothing but Ray Peat on the internet talking against synthetic vitamin c.

Then the question is, which vitamins are also high in heavy metals, are A,B,D,E,K safe???? B1,B2,B3,B5,B6,B8,B9,B12??
 

Gabriel

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Re: Why is there lead in calcium suplements-why this low qua

I think it is not only the vitamin c, as they found lead also in non-vitamin-c calcium supplements. In the link you gave, they also mention an older publication. The highest lead concentrations they found in bonemeal calcium (that was expected) but also in "natural calcium supplements". These would include things like "coral calcium" and possibly oyster shell calcium.

From this news article: "So how does lead end up in the calcium tablets? Many calcium products that tout themselves as “natural” come from oyster shells mined from mineral beds in the ocean that naturally contain lead."

So I guess, oyster shells calcium should only be consumed after you get a certificate of analysis from the company showing that their levels are low/non existent.

Probably safest to stick to milk and egg shell calcium.
 
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BaconBits

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Re: Why is there lead in calcium suplements-why this low qua

Gabriel said:
I think it is not only the vitamin c, as they found lead also in non-vitamin-c calcium supplements. In the link you gave, they also mention an older publication. The highest lead concentrations they found in bonemeal calcium (that was expected) but also in "natural calcium supplements". These would include things like "coral calcium" and possibly oyster shell calcium.

From this news article: "So how does lead end up in the calcium tablets? Many calcium products that tout themselves as “natural” come from oyster shells mined from mineral beds in the ocean that naturally contain lead."

So I guess, oyster shells calcium should only be consumed after you get a certificate of analysis from the company showing that their levels are low/non existent.

Probably safest to stick to milk and egg shell calcium.

Yey, sure, I looked it up and all calcium supplements on the graph that breaked the limit of 10 mcg have vitamin c added or other vitamins too. But yes, too few are under the acceptable level. Most of this stuff in the study is made by the pharmaceutical companies that you would think have all the equipment and resources to make acceptable products. There are very few commercial supplements here, like from LEF,Solgar,Jarrow,.

Hmm. We can also asume the same thing for magnesium carbonate. Plus they can make magnesium citrate from magnesium carbonate and contamination is still there. You just cant know.

Well, try getting certificate of analysis, I could not even get a reply from Now Foods.
 

Gabriel

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Re: Why is there lead in calcium suplements-why this low qua

Some bad news from this study (it's from 2000 so I dont know how the situation today is).

Significant lead content was found in the following oyster shell supplements:
- Spring Valley Natural Oyster Shell Calcium with Vitamin D (Calciumcarbonate)
- Nature Made Oyster Shell Calcium with Vitamin D (Calciumcarbonate)
- Eckerd Hi-Calcium from Oyster Shell

No lead was found in the following oyster shell supplement:
- Sundown Natural Oyster Shell Calcium plus Vitamin D

With oyster shell calcium, it seems to be hit or miss, probably dependent on the area where the oysters where harvested. Too risky in my opinion.
 
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BaconBits

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Re: Why is there lead in calcium suplements-why this low qua

Well, a while ago I searched all over iherb to find some "pure" calcium supplement and all the pills and capsules contain silica or something else bad.

I was curious if unrefined sea salt also has this high levels of heavy metals and it surprised me it does. The most common celtic sea salt has a level of lead at 735ppb, that means a teaspoon would have around 3.6 mcg of lead

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/10 ... ad-content
 

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