Calcium D-Glucarate

Calcium D-Glucarate

Cleanse/Digestion

Calcium D-glucarate is a calcium salt compound from D-glucaric acid, which is a substance that humans and other mammals make naturally. People only produce small amounts of D-glucaric acid though. Some foods are natural sources of D-glucaric acid too. Cruciferous vegetables and fruits like apples and oranges have high amounts of D-glucaric acid.

Calcium D-glucarate is a supplemental form of D-glucaric acid. Taking these supplements may have several beneficial effects, such as helping to prevent and treat certain types of cancer. It can also assist in detoxification.

Not all types of physical activity are suitable for everyone. Users take training advice at their own personal risk.

Summary

Calcium D-glucarate is a chemical similar to glucaric acid, which is chemical found in fruits and vegetables, according to WebMD. Glucaric acid is high in broccoli, brussels sprouts, potatoes, cabbage, apples, grapes and oranges. Glucaric acid is also found in people, but only in low amounts. ... more

Calcium D-glucarate is a chemical similar to glucaric acid, which is chemical found in fruits and vegetables, according to WebMD. Glucaric acid is high in broccoli, brussels sprouts, potatoes, cabbage, apples, grapes and oranges. Glucaric acid is also found in people, but only in low amounts.

Calcium D-glucarate is a supplemental form of glucaric acid that some people take as medicine, according to RXList.com. It is a mixture of calcium and glucaric acid.

According to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, calcium D-glucarate is used to treat and to prevent cancer. Particularly people with breast cancer are known to use calcium D-glucarate after surgery or adjunctive treatments.

The calcium portion of the supplement is not believed to be what gives the supplement beneficial properties. The glucarate component is useful because of what the body converts it into.

How Calcium-D-Glucarate Works

Calcium-D-glucarate may be useful as a complementary cancer treatment because of what it turns into. The body transforms glucarate into a chemical called D-glucaro-1,4-lactone. This substance has been shown to inhibit beta-glucuronidase, a substance linked to cancer.

Non-human studies have demonstrated that carcinogenesis, the creation of cancer, can be prevented by inhibiting beta-glucuronidase. Inhibition of this chemical may also stop promotion of cancer cells and help the body to get rid of more carcinogens.

Inhibiting beta-glucuronidase can also affect hormones, particularly estrogen. Certain cancers feed off of estrogen. These hormone-dependent cancers are sometimes treated with medications that lower estrogen levels of block estrogen absorption by the cancer cells. However, there is not enough evidence in human studies to prove that calcium D-glucarate is effective for cancer prevention, according to RXList.com.

Uses

Cancer prevention is a potential use of calcium D-glucarate, according to WebMD. Specifically, people take calcium D-glucarate in hopes of prevention colon cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer.

Another reason people take calcium D-glucarate is to facilitate getting rid of toxins, cancer-causing agents and steroid hormones linked to cancer growth. Calcium D-glucarate may help with elimination of these substances from the body.

Glucaric acid binds to drugs, pesticides and other toxins and facilitates their removal. Beta-glucuronidase tries to inhibit this detoxifying process, but D-glucaro-1,4-lactone, which is made from  glucarate, counteracts beta-glucuronidase, according to DrJanson.com.

The effect calcium D-glucarate has on toxins and hormones is unique compared to other supplements for cancer prevention. Most anticancer supplements contain antioxidants, which are substances that fight tissue-damaging free radicals. Calcium D-glucarate affects enzymes to help break down and eliminate the hormones and toxins that can promote tumor growth. Other supplements have no beneficial effect on enzymes.

According to WebMD, there is insufficient evidence to prove the effectiveness of calcium D-glucarate for all of its purported uses, such as:

  • Breast Cancer Prevention
  • Colon Cancer Prevention
  • Detoxification of toxins, hormones and carcinogens
  • Prostate Cancer Prevention
  • Other Conditions

Cancer Treatment

People use calcium D-glucarate for treating cancer, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Taking oral calcium D-glucarate may help to regulate the metabolism of estrogen, according to an article published in the “Alternative Medicine Review” journal in August 2002.

Calcium D-glucarate may also act as a lipid-lowering agent. Lipid-lowering medications help to regulate elevated levels of different forms of lipids, which are small molecules used mainly for energy storage. Doctors are researching the benefits of lipid-lowering drugs on cancer, as well as inflammation, autoimmunity and neurodegeneration, according to an article published in the “Cellular and  Molecular Life Sciences” journal in 2006.

Endometriosis

Calcium D-glucarate may be effective for endometriosis, which is a condition that affects the endometrial cells. Endometrial cells are what line the uterus. When these cells leave the body and travel to other areas of the body they become stimulated by hormones, which causes endrometriosis.

The endometrial cells build up and shed blood when women menstruate. Endometriosis may cause pain when blood from endometrial cells causes the accumulation of deposits and scar tissue. 

Side Effects

Calcium D-glucarate may cause side effects. However, there has not been enough research performed  to determine whether calcium D-glucarate is safe or causes adverse effects, according to WebMD.

Pregnant women and those who are breastfeeding are advised not to take calcium D-glucarate just to be safe.

Interactions

Calcium D-glucarate interacts with medications and alcohol. According to WebMD, calcium D-glucarate has a moderate interaction with alcohol. Alcohol increases the speed that the body eliminates calcium D-glucarate. Drinking alcohol while taking calcium D-glucarate may lessen the effects of calcium D-glucarate.

Calcium D-glucarate can also have a moderate interaction with medications that are changed by the liver. These medications are called glucuronidated drugs. The liver assists in the break down of these medications. Taking calcium D-glucarate may lessen the effects of these drugs.

Examples of medications that are changed by the liver include:

  • Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
  • Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
  • Diazepam (Valium)
  • Entacapone (Comtan)
  • Estrogen
  • Irinotecan (Camptosar)
  • Lamotrigine (Lamictal)
  • Lorazepam (Ativan)
  • Lovastatin (Mevacor)
  • Oxazepam (Serax)

Calcium D-glucarate can have a minor interaction with an antibiotic called kanamycin. Taking calcium D-glucarate and kanamycin together can make the body get rid of kanamycin more quickly, thereby reducing the effectiveness of kanamycin.

People who are taking hormonal drugs or birth control pills should consult their doctors before using calcium D-glucarate because it can interfere with hormonal medications.

Dosing

There are several factors to consider when selecting the right dose of calcium D-glucarate. People's overall health, age and which condition they need calcium D-glucarate determines how large of a dosage to take, according to WebMD.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, research shows that taking 500 to 1,000 milligrams of calcium D-glucarate one to three times a day may assist in detoxification. This dosage could also help the body excrete excess estrogen.

People who require detoxification after heavy exposure to environmental toxins may benefit more from a dose of 3,000 to 4,500 milligrams per day, according to DrJanson.com. This amount may be more helpful for cancer patients as well.

 

--------------------------

Sources:

Other

  • Side Effects
  • Other Names
  • Uses
None Known
Calcium Glucarate, Calcium-D Glucarate, Calcium-D-Glucarate, Calcium-D-Saccharate, Calcium Saccharate, D-Glucarate, D-Glucaric Acid Salt, D-Glucaro-1,4-Lactone, Glucarate
Cancer Prevention
Cancer Treatment
Endometriosis