| Adapted from THE CALCIUM BOMB: The | | | | claim positive scientific evidence of a cause. |
| Nanobacteria Link to Heart Disease and Cancer, | | | | One of the barriers to finding a cause or |
| by Douglas Mulhall & Katja Hansen (The | | | | treatment for calcification is that some experts |
| Writers’ Collective) | | | | have long claimed it is part of the body’s |
| What medical condition affects more of us than | | | | healing process. Because of this widespread idea, |
| heart disease, arthritis, or cancer, and why is it | | | | doctors have often not considered calcification to |
| suddenly such a compelling issue? | | | | be at the root of the problem. They also often |
| According to thousands of medical journal articles, | | | | don’t associate calcification with the |
| Calcification also known as calcium deposits, | | | | trademark inflammation that accompanies it. |
| hardening of the arteries, cysts, stones, and hard | | | | Yet up-to-date medical manuals such as the |
| plaque happens in all those illnesses and more. | | | | authoritative Merck Manual of Diagnosis a bible |
| And it just struck home for millions. | | | | found in many doctors’ offices |
| Throngs of baby boomers are rushing to get | | | | describe calcium phosphate crystals that make up |
| checked for calcification since rock icon David | | | | calcification as aggressive and provoking |
| Bowie and former President Clinton had | | | | chronic inflammation as well as attacking joints. |
| emergency operations for it. David Letterman, | | | | Now, the discovery of a tiny particle has shown a |
| Larry King, CBS’s René Syler, actress | | | | link between calcification and inflammation. |
| Koo Stark, and many pro athletes have it too. | | | | Scientists who now work with the National |
| Calcification is the hardening of our body tissue by | | | | Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) |
| calcium salts. These salts contain other minerals, | | | | discovered something so small that it challenges |
| such as phosphorus, and are often harmful. They | | | | the definition of life. It made headlines when Mayo |
| are dangerous because they provoke chronic and | | | | Clinic researchers found it in heart disease, while |
| painful swelling, gumming up arteries and organs, | | | | others discovered how to test for and treat it. |
| with crippling or fatal results. | | | | Basically, the scientists found that the particle |
| Calcification can sometimes be a disease on its | | | | generates a calcium phosphate shell while in the |
| own, but is more frequently found in other | | | | blood, and attacks human tissue. This provokes an |
| illnesses. Calcium deposits are in breast and | | | | immune reaction that includes chronic inflammation. |
| ovarian cancer. Breast implant patients occasionally | | | | And in October, the Journal Pathophysiology |
| require surgery to remove calcium deposits that | | | | published clinical trial results suggesting that when |
| develop around the implant. The deposits show up | | | | the particle is targeted with treatment, calcification |
| as spots on mammograms and can be mistaken | | | | seems to be reversible. [Study title: Maniscalco et |
| for cancer. | | | | al, "Calcification in Coronary Artery Disease can be |
| Calcification is often in arthritis, heart disease, and | | | | Reversed by Long-Term EDTA-tetracycline |
| diabetes. Many arthritis sufferers who have | | | | chemotherapy," Pathophysiology 11 (2004) |
| calcium deposits go on to develop heart disease, | | | | 95—101.] |
| but until recently the link has never been | | | | The study also demonstrated reversal of most of |
| understood. Nor has the one between | | | | the clinical symptoms of atherosclerosis, including |
| osteoporosisloss of bone calciumand the | | | | coronary artery calcification, in a majority of |
| seemingly contrary growth of calcium deposits | | | | patients who participated in the trial. |
| elsewhere as the illness progresses. | | | | The authors of the study emphasize that the |
| Although calcification occurs more frequently as | | | | results are just preliminary, but nonetheless the |
| we age, being young is no defense: it is often in | | | | treatment that they used is available now as a |
| sport injuries, and sidelines many athletes. Bursitis | | | | combination of an over-the-counter nutraceutical |
| and tendonitis can contain calcium deposits. Kidney | | | | and a prescription of generic antibiotics. |
| stones are usually calcified at the center. | | | | The problem with the tiny discovered particle that |
| More than half a trillion dollars are spent annually | | | | seems to be generating calcification is that no one |
| to treat calcification-related diseases. So why | | | | knows exactly what it is. Its DNA remains a |
| haven’t more stories explained it until now? | | | | mystery because much of can’t be |
| Because until now, no one knew where it came | | | | isolated using standard tests. So right now, |
| from or how to get rid of it. | | | | scientists from NASA and a dozen or so |
| For example, look for the term calcification | | | | international institutes are using nanotechnology |
| at the National Library of Medicine’s | | | | methods to try and decipher its secrets. |
| PubMed website and you’ll find about | | | | Look for the next installment to see what they |
| 23,000 articles about the condition, but few if any | | | | have found, and how it affects treatment. |