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Herbs & Supplements
Calcium D-Glucarate
Scientific Name: Glucaric acid
Other Names: Calcium Glucarate, D-glucarate, D-glucaro-1,4-lactone
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Uses
Glucaric acid is a chemical made by the body and also consumed in foods. For dietary supplementation, it is combined with calcium to form calcium d-glucarate.
Because it is thought to hasten the elimination of potentially harmful substances from the body, oral glucaric acid has been promoted for preventing cancer. Calcium d-glucarate is known to decrease the amounts of an enzyme that is believed to be associated with certain cancers--particularly cancers of the breast, colon, and prostate. Additionally, glucaric acid interferes with the reabsorption of estrogen from the gastrointestinal tract. As a result, more estrogen is eliminated and less stays in the blood. High estrogen levels have also been associated with the development and growth of breast, colon, and prostate cancers. Applying glucaric acid to the skin has decreased the size of chemically induced skin tumors in a study of laboratory mice. While other studies of laboratory animals seem to confirm these anti-cancer effects, few studies have been conducted in humans. Furthermore, the doses of glucaric acid given to laboratory animals were quite large; equivalent human doses may be impractical. More research is needed before glucaric acid can be recommended for the prevention or treatment of cancer.
Preliminary results from a few laboratory studies may associate taking glucaric acid with decreased cholesterol levels. In separate studies, kidney damage caused by certain antibiotics was prevented or limited in laboratory animals that had been given glucaric acid. The exact ways in which glucaric acid may produce these effects are not understood and both of these potential uses of glucaric acid require more study.
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Note: The above information is not intended to replace the advice of your physician, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional. It is not meant to indicate that the use of the product is safe, appropriate, or effective for you.
In general, herbal products are not subject to review or approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They are not required to be standardized, meaning that the amounts of active ingredients or contaminants they contain may vary between brands or between different batches of the same brand. Not all of the risks, side effects, or interactions associated with the use of herbal products are known because few reliable studies of their use in humans have been done.
This information is provided for your education only. Please share this information with your healthcare provider and be sure that you talk to your doctor and pharmacist about all the prescription and non-prescription medicines you take before you begin to use any herbal product.
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