Research

StimuCal has been scientifically developed in response to new research findings about the association between calcium supplementation and an increased risk of cardiovascular events.

Specifically, the aim was to research, develop and rigorously test a new kind of calcium supplement with a safer rate of absorption than other products. It was important though that StimuCal, while being safe, was also able to deliver highly effective, daily nutritional support for bones. Read the results below of our independently conducted human clinical trial , and sophisticated cell culture studies that demonstrate why we believe that StimuCal is the safest, and most effective calcium supplement available on the market today.

Calcium and Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease characterised by low bone mass and structural deterioration (thinning of bones) that results in increased risk of fracture, and is a significant cause of hospital admissions and death worldwide.

International osteoporosis treatment and prevention guidelines universally recommend adequate dietary calcium intake, which, because of the lack of calcium rich foods in the diets of many people, has resulted in widespread use of calcium supplements.

Calcium supplements and Cardiovascular Events

In clinical trials, calcium supplements have been found to improve bone mineral density and reduce fracture rates, which is good news for users of calcium supplements. What is not such good news is that there may be a darker side to calcium supplementation which is linked to large, rapidly absorbed doses of calcium from some commonly used supplements, like calcium citrate and calcium carbonate. These conventional calcium supplements can cause blood calcium levels to rise abnormally high (spike) over extended periods of time which studies have shown can result in a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease (heart attack).

Download some of the research papers linking calcium supplementation with cardiovascular event risk here:

StimuCal Human Clinical Trial

Although the results of recent research may seem to indicate a move away from calcium supplementation, adequate calcium intake is still essential for the prevention of Osteoporosis.

It is well known that many people do not meet their recommended calcium intakes from food sources alone, so a need exists for a calcium supplement that can assist with improving bone health, but without increasing the risk of a heart attack.

A key difference between StimuCal and other more conventional calcium supplements like calcium carbonate and calcium citrate is in their effects on blood calcium levels in the 8 hour period following consumption.

In a study of StimuCal conducted by the researchers at the University of Auckland School of Medicine, while other calcium supplements increased blood calcium levels significantly compared to a non calcium containing control pill placebo) over an 8 hour period, StimuCal did not. These results suggested that StimuCal may have a similar safety profile to calcium from food sources and may not be associated with the same adverse health risks as conventional calcium supplements.

What’s more, in the same study, StimuCal was found to supress key markers of bone turnover (a measure of how effective a calcium supplements is at supporting bone health) by an identical amount to calcium carbonate and calcium citrate.

Download a summary of the University of Auckland StimuCal Research paper “Effect of StimuCal on serum calcium and markers of bone turnover in normal post-menopausal women: a randomised controlled trial” here:

StimuCal Human Clinical Trial (PDF)

Effect of StimuCal on Bone Formation

Bone formation occurs throughout life to support growth, repair and mechanical forces and to meet metabolic needs. This process requires the linked actions of osteoblasts ( bone forming cells) and osteoclasts ( bone absorbing cells). A key contributing factor to bone loss as we age is the decreased ability of osteoblasts to replace bone removed by osteoclasts.

Because StimuCal contains protein from bone it is a source of naturally occurring bone stimulating proteins . The effect of the protein contained in StimuCal on bone metabolism was investigated in a study by the Bone and Joint Research Group at the University of Auckland. In this study, the addition of StimuCal protein to groups of osteoblasts resulted in a significant increase in bone mineralisation (formation).

Download a summary of the University of Auckland StimuCal Research paper “Preliminary study on the role of StimuCal on Osteoblast growth and differentiation” here:

StimuCal Cultured Osteoblast Study (PDF)