In my last blog, I talked about Soft Tissue Calcification (STC) and its link to many diseases. Basically, STC is a process in which calcium binds with phosphorus in places of the body other than bone and teeth. The formation of these calcium “crystals” has a substantial impact on the tissues wherein it is formed.
This impact is multifaceted and affects not only the physical characteristics of the tissues, such as hardening and loss of flexibility but it also provides an active substrate to attract calcium binding proteins (>3000 in your body) and activate them. Some calcium binding proteins include those that can cause inflammation and thrombosis…the hallmarks of atherosclerosis and other heart conditions. Other manifestations of STC are easier to see and feel, such as kidney, salivary and gall stones.
As discussed previously, research is accumulating that proves STC is a cause, not a by product ,of pathology. For example, research by Nadra et al. published in 2006 by the American Heart Association showed that basic calcium phosphate crystals (STC) induce inflammation, Dalbeth et al. in 2005 showed inflammation and tissue damage in STC crystal deposition disease, McCarthy et al. in 1998 showed STC crystal induced activation of fibroblasts, and so on.
Considering the link between STC and disease, and considering that more than half of the people in the USA today have some degree of STC, the health savings that we as a country could realize by treating STC early on are in the billions of dollars.
Considering that the medical community is just now becoming aware of the dangers of STC, tools for diagnosing STC are somewhat limited. Existing diagnostic tools include radiological scans such as electron beam computed tomography (EBCT), sonogram, Xray, etc. Promising new technologies are in the works that include novel assays such as ELISA tests.
Treatment of STC has historically followed the rule that if you control the amount of calcium and phosphorus in the body, then you can control the degree of calcium phosphate precipitation in the soft tissues. This protocol may be appropriate for dire situations wherein the patient is in dire need, such as those with end stage renal disease (ESRD). ESRD patients calcify very quickly, partly due to intense dialysis, and are treated with powerful phosphate binders such as selevamer HCL.
Bisphosphonates, osteoporosis drugs, are under investigation as a possible compounds to de-calcify soft tissues when administered correctly, presumably due to their ability to bind to calcium or hydroxyapatite within the bone matrix.
EDTA, ethylene di-amine tetraacetic acid, is also used by some physicians in Chelation Therapy. Chelation therapy has been around for decades and intends to remove calcium crystals from the soft tissues by grabbing calcium from the crystals and carrying it to the excretory system.
Other compounds that appear in the literature as inhibitors of STC include pyrophosphate, magnesium, citrate, glycosaminoglycans, Nephrocalcin, and, more recently, vitamin K2 (menaquinone 7). Also, some suggest that simple antioxidant compounds may help reduce the risk of calcification.
It would seem logical that combination of protocols, available over the counter, may be a good way to get control of STC before it gets out of control. If most people have some degree of STC by the age of 50, then a slow, mindful approach would be warranted…by everyone!
A step wise approach to your health with regards to STC looks like this….1) attempt to clear as many calcium crystals as possible from the soft tissues using established compounds such as EDTA, citrates, vitamin C, NAC, chlorophyll, etc. 2) make sure the proteins that control calcium are healthy and functional, 3) make sure you get enough minerals such as magnesium and potassium, 4) take a reasonable dose of antioxidants.
Since my last blog, I found a number of websites that have information and/or products that claim to address calcification. I have not personally tried all of these products, nor do I recommend any one site or product specifically…however the following links may be helpful in figuring out if this sort of prevention or treatment is right for you.
http://www.rad.washington.edu/mskbook/softtissueca.html
http://www.nanobaclabs.com/content/calcification.htm
http://calgenex.com/calciclear.html
http://www.medcyclopaedia.com/library/topics/volume_vii/c/calcification_soft_tissue.aspx
http://www.cal-detox.com/system.html
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/518757_4
Wishing you a happy and healthy life!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
What is the point of a blog like this if you don't talk about what helped you? It seems to me a very transparent attempt to direct people to the main over-the-web website that sells de-calcification products. Other sites are listed, but only one sells products directly to the consumer...
I hope you'll consider addressing why you made this blog -- there must be a reason -- a personal reason.
Respectfully,
Rob
Dear Mr. Bartell,
The author of this blog is a pure scientist with a family to feed. His wife is a scientist also. Both are my colleagues and I can vouch for their professional excellence and integrity.
F. James Kearney, Ph.D., Esq. (aka Paco)
Rob,
Thanks for the comment. I hope that you enjoyed the content of my first blog. This blog was meant as an educational piece on calcification. Had wanted to update it each week or two, but I got called away for business.
Yes, one site I linked to sells direct to consumers. I thought about linking to detoxamin, cardio-renew, Dr. Crantons website, medicardium, etc...but they all seem to only focus on calcium chelation (and heavy metal chelation) instead of the larger picture.
I think you are insinuating that I am only trying to promote a product. Well, the link I listed is a product that I take and one that I have recommended to my family and friends. Perhaps I should have been more forthright about that. However my intent was not to push that product, rather to report. In fact, I did not want to talk directly about that product because I did not want to "shill"...I guess I dropped the ball on that one.
I will follow this blog up with the benefits of taking certain minerals and vitamins and the dramatic affects on health that it provides. I will also try to remove the link if it is innappropriate.
For PACO! You the man! FYI: just released an article that they are making stents now that are made from 100% magnesium...they eliminate thrombus and stenosis (typically encountered with wire mesh stents). Very cool. Its seems that medicine is catching up...slowly.
ummm...how do I edit the blog?
That's the Achilles heel of solo blogging, self editing. Almost unachievable.
Good information. Nice post. Calcifications on the brain have many names, calcinosis and Fahr's Syndrome for instance. But the cause remains the same for all of them. Calcifications can happen all over the body. For some, like martial artists, calcifications are a good thing. The actually grow them on their knuckles by punching hard surfaces, to harden their fists. Treatments for brain calcifications include reconciling the underlying excess calcium and phosphorus in the body, treatments to alleviate symptoms and if necessary surgical removal of the actual offending calcium deposits.
Brainhealthandpuzzles - Calcification on the brain
Hi,
For the past five years, 75,000 cases of cardiovascular disease have been cured, through a miracle mineral supplement. Medical advancements, such as this, are because of the work organizations, such as yourself, have done. We here, at Disease.com (an established website to the preventions and treatments of diseases), have been inspired by the awareness and research your organization has done. If you could, please list us as a resource or host our social book mark button, it would be much appreciated. Let's keep America's heart beating.
If you need more information please email me back with the subject line as your URL.
Thank You,
Sharon Vegoe
Disease.com
Post a Comment