Why is Eggshell Calcium Better?
Eggshell calcium may bear the same chemical profile as mined calcium, but numerous studies have shown that it is better absorbed and provides greater results compared to other forms of calcium.
Though people may claim that all calcium is alike, the calcium in eggshells carries with it minerals that are essential not only to its function of protecting the growing life it encases but also to our own bone health.
Eggshell Calcium – More Complex than Rock
A microscopic profile view of an eggshell shows fascinating layers of cuticle, mineralized cones and a network of fibers in the eggshell membrane. About 95 percent is calcite crystals, the most stable formation of calcium carbonate (CaCO3).
Unlike the CaCO3 that is mined from the earth, the CaCO3 we ingest in eggshell calcium is accompanied by a natural organic matrix of specialized transporter proteins, along with many essential minerals. The proteoglycans in eggshell calcium include several that are recognizable for their reputation as bone and joint health supplements, including hyaluron and chondroitin sulfate.
This matrix of transporter proteins helps move calcium across the walls of the digestive tract, with as much as a 64% increase over purified CaCO3, resulting in strong blood plasma calcium levels.
Calcium content in bone is what really shows results, though, for any bone health supplement. Of 5 types of calcium tested in one bioavailability study, participants receiving eggshell calcium (ESC) showed significantly greater calcium content in bone, with the next highest over half percent lower.
Among the minerals contained in eggshells is strontium, which has an anti-resorption effect, therefor having a positive influence on bone strength and preservation. The copper, magnesium and zinc in eggshells contribute to the quality of bone mass. Additional minerals include selenium and iron.
ESC Research Being Done Across the Globe
Added to mixtures in powdered form historically, a Hungarian physician used heat-treated eggshells in the 1940s and found they helped improve bone health, and in the 1990s research into ESC began to escalate. Studies done in 1991, 1993 and 1996 indicated that ESC helped improve mobility, comfort and bone density in varying populations.
A 2002 study compared the results of healthy postmenopausal women taking ESC vs. purified CaCO3. Femoral bone mass density improved for the ESC women, but not for the other group. And a decrease in biomarkers of bone resorption (breaking down of bone tissue) was noted for the ESC women, and again, not for the others in the study. More of what we want, less of what we don’t want!
Recent studies have looked at ESC as a natural ingredient for bone grafts; findings indicated use of it resulted in higher levels of newly formed bone compared to the control group.
ESC – Clean and Environmentally Friendly
Mineral CaCO3 is mined from the earth. Eggshells are created by a living thing to support life.
In a study of 300 brands of calcium supplements, those containing dolomite, bone meal, oyster shell and refined CaCO3 showed lead content far exceeding the amount of lead found in ESC, which had the lowest amount of this heavy metal. In fact, ESC is one of the purest sources of calcium available.
The eggshells used in ESC are sustainably sourced from a renewable supply of US-domestic eggshells. ESC has been described as “the best natural calcium source” to support bone health.
Redd Remedies includes ESC in our Calcium Mag + D™ and Bone Health Advanced™ formulas, along with other bone-health promoting nutrients.
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