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Effect of calcium supplementation as oyster shell heated in vacuo on metabolism and survival of rats

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Abstract

Oyster shell heated in vacuo, mainly consisting of calcium oxide (CaO), is nonirritating and highly absorbable from the intestine. The effects of oyster shell heated in vacuo on hematological and biochemical data and duration of survival of rats were compared with those of commonly used calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Ninety rats were divided into three groups and given a diet containing 1% calcium as CaCO3 from the 10th week after birth until natural death (group A), a mixture of heated oyster shell and calcium carbonate in equal amounts (group B), and heated oyster shell (group C). Hematological values and serum components such as total protein, albumin, albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio, GOT, GPT, alkaline phosphatase, total cholesterol, free cholesterol, triglycerides, urea nitrogen, creatinine, Na, K, and Ca were measured up to the 65th week. Following natural death, autopsy was performed. The results were as follows: Animals on oyster shell heated in vacuo tended to show milder anemia and leukocytosis, significantly higher serum albumin, and lower GPT, with a tendency of lower total and free cholesterol, urea nitrogen, and creatinine. The mean survival was 618 ± 22 days in group A, 665 ± 24 in group B and 685 ± 20 in group C (mean ± SEM), suggesting a longer survival on supplementation with heated oyster shell. Autopsy revealed less frequent ocurrence of tumors and nephrosclerosis in heated oyster shell-supplemented rats. These results support the hypothesis that oyster shell heated in vacuo is more beneficial for the metabolism and survival of rats than CaCO3, possibly through its high biological availability.

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Fujita, T., Kitazawa, R., Fukase, M. et al. Effect of calcium supplementation as oyster shell heated in vacuo on metabolism and survival of rats. J Bone Miner Metab 13, 93–97 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01771324

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01771324

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