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The Calcium Lie II: What Your Doctor Still Doesn't Know: How Mineral Imbalances Are Damaging Your Health by Thompson MD, Robert, Barnes, Kathleen (July 10, 2013) Paperback
If you believe that bones are made of calcium, you have subscribed to The Calcium Lie. You’re not alone. Most consumers and, surprisingly, most doctors, believe that bones are made of calcium. Yet any basic biochemistry textbook will tell you the Bones are made of at least a dozen minerals and we need all of them in perfect proportions in order to have healthy bones and healthy bodies. If you get too much calcium, through food sources or by taking supplements, you set yourself up for an array of negative health consequences, including obesity, Type 2 diabetes, Type 2 hypothyroidism, hypertension, depression, problem pregnancies and more. This is the second edition of the calcium Lie, updated, expanded and with greater in-depth explanation of the medical problems that can be caused by mineral imbalances and solid strategies to correct them. This book gives you all the information you need to stay healthy and to regain your health if you or your doctor have been duped by The Calcium Lie.
- GenresHealthNonfiction
Unknown Binding
First published July 10, 2013
124 people are currently reading
228 people want to read
About the author
Robert Thompson
6 books8 followersDr. Robert Thompson practices integrative, anti-aging and holistic medicine in Soldotna and Anchorage, Alaska. A board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist for more than 30 years, he now devotes his practice to preventive medicine and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy for both men and women. He is author of The Calcium Lie II: What Your Doctor Still Doesn’t Know. A concert violinist and outdoors enthusiast, Dr. Thompson also devotes his time to cooking, art, music and raising and training his beloved Labrador retriever dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 23, 2019
This is an important book.
I have known for many years that I, at any rate, did not benefit, and, rather, was harmed by calcium supplements since they gave me pains in the head. I read on-line that thousands of others world-wide got the same symptoms after taking these supplements. In my case these pains were relieved by taking magnesium. Later I read that in general calcium supplements were harmful.
In this book Thompson tells us about what he terms “the calcium lie”. This is that we need calcium supplements to keep our bones strong. He denies this, informing us that what we need are minerals in general.
If we take calcium supplements and eat calcium-rich foods, we will build up excess calcium in our system coupled with increasing mineral deficiencies. This will give us many undesirable symptoms including plaque in arteries, bone spurs (which I have despite not having taken calcium supplements for ages), cataracts (which I also have but am treating successfully with alpha lipoic acid), hypertension and dementia. Calcium is not the correct treatment for osteoporosis; what we need are balanced ionic trace minerals.
Practically all doctors have been brainwashed with the calcium lie. I have experienced lying in a hospital bed facing a head doctor on his rounds, accompanied by a handful of junior doctors, where the head doctor is pontificating to me about my need to take calcium pills. I refused, after which he became extremely angry. I gave him my reasons (this was several years ago long before I read this book, and I can’t now remember exactly what I said to him). A junior doctor standing at the back of the group looked directly at me and nodded his head. This was encouraging and told me that some doctors are not to be condemned – they are learning.
Limitation of sodium intake increases mineral deficiencies. Most of us lack sodium and should increase our intake but in the form of sea salt or rock salt. (I myself use pink Himalaya salt.)
Sodium is needed for stomach acid production, protein digestion, etc.
Throughout the book the authors advise us to get a hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) in order to ascertain our mineral imbalances. You also need a doctor or health professional who can interpret the results of the test.
Getting the test and finding someone to correctly interpret it has proved difficult for me, but I assume US residents can easily get it and from the recommended lab.
By the way, Thompson insists we must never take colloidal minerals, only ionic minerals, I have acquired these but unfortunately you need to take 12 drops in a litre of water. I find I am unable to drink this extra litre in addition to all the other liquids I need to take, but sometimes I can take 3 drops in 250 ml of water.
After reading the book and ordering the minerals to be taken in water, I found that they can also be obtained in pill or capsule form, which does not necessitate drinking lots of water, so next time I’ll try to get hold of these instead.
Re calcium, it has been reported in the British Medical Journal that women who took calcium supplements had a dramatically increased risk of heart attacks.
The book includes a chapter about how an excess of calcium causes weight gain, and one on digestive dilemmas.
There’s also a chapter about women’s issues. Here we are told that we should avoid bromine, since it will disrupt all iodine function in the body.
In a chapter entitled “the vitamin lie” we are given the important information that we should avoid ascorbic acid. We take it since we are under the impression that it is Vitamin C, but it is not. It is only a part of Vitamin C and it is a drug. It has antibiotic qualities and as such can be helpful but in the long run is harmful. We need to get hold of what he calls “whole food” Vitamin C, or Vitamin C extracted from natural products. I have used ascorbic acid all my life and it has helped me greatly, I have to say, but now I have acquired the natural Vitamin C product.
We are informed that “back problems and herniated discs are the product of Vitamin C deficiency and result in millions of surgeries and spine and back interventions”.
The book contains a chapter that we are asked to copy and give to our doctor; however, I won’t be doing that, since I know she wouldn’t read it.
I repeat that I find this to be an important book, and I highly recommend that you read it; I haven’t come across this information anywhere else.
I have known for many years that I, at any rate, did not benefit, and, rather, was harmed by calcium supplements since they gave me pains in the head. I read on-line that thousands of others world-wide got the same symptoms after taking these supplements. In my case these pains were relieved by taking magnesium. Later I read that in general calcium supplements were harmful.
In this book Thompson tells us about what he terms “the calcium lie”. This is that we need calcium supplements to keep our bones strong. He denies this, informing us that what we need are minerals in general.
If we take calcium supplements and eat calcium-rich foods, we will build up excess calcium in our system coupled with increasing mineral deficiencies. This will give us many undesirable symptoms including plaque in arteries, bone spurs (which I have despite not having taken calcium supplements for ages), cataracts (which I also have but am treating successfully with alpha lipoic acid), hypertension and dementia. Calcium is not the correct treatment for osteoporosis; what we need are balanced ionic trace minerals.
Practically all doctors have been brainwashed with the calcium lie. I have experienced lying in a hospital bed facing a head doctor on his rounds, accompanied by a handful of junior doctors, where the head doctor is pontificating to me about my need to take calcium pills. I refused, after which he became extremely angry. I gave him my reasons (this was several years ago long before I read this book, and I can’t now remember exactly what I said to him). A junior doctor standing at the back of the group looked directly at me and nodded his head. This was encouraging and told me that some doctors are not to be condemned – they are learning.
Limitation of sodium intake increases mineral deficiencies. Most of us lack sodium and should increase our intake but in the form of sea salt or rock salt. (I myself use pink Himalaya salt.)
Sodium is needed for stomach acid production, protein digestion, etc.
Throughout the book the authors advise us to get a hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) in order to ascertain our mineral imbalances. You also need a doctor or health professional who can interpret the results of the test.
Getting the test and finding someone to correctly interpret it has proved difficult for me, but I assume US residents can easily get it and from the recommended lab.
By the way, Thompson insists we must never take colloidal minerals, only ionic minerals, I have acquired these but unfortunately you need to take 12 drops in a litre of water. I find I am unable to drink this extra litre in addition to all the other liquids I need to take, but sometimes I can take 3 drops in 250 ml of water.
After reading the book and ordering the minerals to be taken in water, I found that they can also be obtained in pill or capsule form, which does not necessitate drinking lots of water, so next time I’ll try to get hold of these instead.
Re calcium, it has been reported in the British Medical Journal that women who took calcium supplements had a dramatically increased risk of heart attacks.
The book includes a chapter about how an excess of calcium causes weight gain, and one on digestive dilemmas.
There’s also a chapter about women’s issues. Here we are told that we should avoid bromine, since it will disrupt all iodine function in the body.
In a chapter entitled “the vitamin lie” we are given the important information that we should avoid ascorbic acid. We take it since we are under the impression that it is Vitamin C, but it is not. It is only a part of Vitamin C and it is a drug. It has antibiotic qualities and as such can be helpful but in the long run is harmful. We need to get hold of what he calls “whole food” Vitamin C, or Vitamin C extracted from natural products. I have used ascorbic acid all my life and it has helped me greatly, I have to say, but now I have acquired the natural Vitamin C product.
We are informed that “back problems and herniated discs are the product of Vitamin C deficiency and result in millions of surgeries and spine and back interventions”.
The book contains a chapter that we are asked to copy and give to our doctor; however, I won’t be doing that, since I know she wouldn’t read it.
I repeat that I find this to be an important book, and I highly recommend that you read it; I haven’t come across this information anywhere else.
January 17, 2019
He maybe right about calcium but he certainly is wrong about pharma vitamins which he think are not vitamins. He think that allopathy is wrong while homeopathy has got it all right. He think most ailments are caused by mineral deficiencies. Supplements are necessary and only ones that he recommends and sells at his web site and for which he ,obviously, gets commission. He thinks that our health depends on his stamped endorsements and only on those. He wants to put glasses on our eyes, through which we judge what is good for our health, which allow light filtered though his practice, his books, his web site and his endorsed products. Sorry doctor, I just cannot buy into this narrow health view.
May 20, 2024
A MUST READ
We all know that Western medicine has become very twisted. Anything to milk money out of us. Not all Western medicine is bad. We still need it. But let's not dismiss getting back to the basics.
Bones are not JUST made out of calcium. There are other minerals as well.
I love how so many other health concerns are addressed in this book. It's true that in the US, our soils are lacking nutrients, so the food we eat is not aiding us in any way other than keeping us full.
We should actively try seeking ways to make sure our bodies are receiving the proper nutrition it needs.
We all know that Western medicine has become very twisted. Anything to milk money out of us. Not all Western medicine is bad. We still need it. But let's not dismiss getting back to the basics.
Bones are not JUST made out of calcium. There are other minerals as well.
I love how so many other health concerns are addressed in this book. It's true that in the US, our soils are lacking nutrients, so the food we eat is not aiding us in any way other than keeping us full.
We should actively try seeking ways to make sure our bodies are receiving the proper nutrition it needs.
April 26, 2014
A must read!
A must read!
A must read for your health and well-being. Very easy to understand and apply. Once again thank you Dr. Thompson! I'm following your advice and reaping the harvest!
A must read!
A must read for your health and well-being. Very easy to understand and apply. Once again thank you Dr. Thompson! I'm following your advice and reaping the harvest!
November 10, 2017
Interesting. It makes sense that our bodies would need many different minerals to produce bone
August 14, 2021
This book would have been better off stating the facts without the condescending tone.
October 19, 2023
READ THIS BOOK. YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT
So many truths.
First, a couple of things I disagree with.
I wore many hats, but for 9 years I owned and operated a DEXA (Osteoporisis testing) business. One correction I would like to make is that a quality DEXA scan and interpretation that includes the value for each individual vertebra L 1-4 is of utmost importance. I have never seen a report that only resulted the Z score, as Dr. Thompson asserts. The T score is indeed your score compared to young adult, and is the only score predictive of your fracture risk. The Z score is also reported (age matched) but is meaningless.
The second thing Dr. Thompson should be aware of is a video with a very interesting study that might cause him to delve into deeper research on each component of his hair analysis test. Chris Masterjohn on You Tube explains a very interesting study about zinc in hair analysis. Zinc as zinc picolinate shows a great uptake in hair but that doesn’t correlate to optimal zinc where we need it. Net zinc retention was significantly negative. Picolinic acid binds to the zinc and Carries it into tissues such as hair where hair analysis suggests zinc levels are optimal but in reality 8 fold is excreted out through the urine and that bound up in hair and other tissues is never bioavailable.
The great parts:
This book and another I just read The Great Cholesterol Myth are game changers for me. In layman’s terms Dr. Thompson convincingly explains the calcium cascade and the myriad health problems that result. This book is about so much more than bone health. Over-supplementing calcium and not getting the other necessary minerals KILLS. AND it doesn’t protect bone health.
I highly recommend this book.
So many truths.
First, a couple of things I disagree with.
I wore many hats, but for 9 years I owned and operated a DEXA (Osteoporisis testing) business. One correction I would like to make is that a quality DEXA scan and interpretation that includes the value for each individual vertebra L 1-4 is of utmost importance. I have never seen a report that only resulted the Z score, as Dr. Thompson asserts. The T score is indeed your score compared to young adult, and is the only score predictive of your fracture risk. The Z score is also reported (age matched) but is meaningless.
The second thing Dr. Thompson should be aware of is a video with a very interesting study that might cause him to delve into deeper research on each component of his hair analysis test. Chris Masterjohn on You Tube explains a very interesting study about zinc in hair analysis. Zinc as zinc picolinate shows a great uptake in hair but that doesn’t correlate to optimal zinc where we need it. Net zinc retention was significantly negative. Picolinic acid binds to the zinc and Carries it into tissues such as hair where hair analysis suggests zinc levels are optimal but in reality 8 fold is excreted out through the urine and that bound up in hair and other tissues is never bioavailable.
The great parts:
This book and another I just read The Great Cholesterol Myth are game changers for me. In layman’s terms Dr. Thompson convincingly explains the calcium cascade and the myriad health problems that result. This book is about so much more than bone health. Over-supplementing calcium and not getting the other necessary minerals KILLS. AND it doesn’t protect bone health.
I highly recommend this book.
October 16, 2017
This book provides information about vitamins and minerals. This is information everyone should know but I suspect few do.
October 13, 2019
Really fascinating..a lot of food for thought. I need to do some research to learn further.
March 28, 2024
An eyeooener. A must read for everyone
October 26, 2014
Complicado y repetitivo
No me convenció... probablemente se necesita saber más de bioquímica para comprender las explicaciones detalladas que el autor ofrece con tanto entusiasmo. Aún otorgando el beneficio de la duda, poner en práctica todo lo que recomienda esta fuera del alcance de la persona común y corriente.
No me convenció... probablemente se necesita saber más de bioquímica para comprender las explicaciones detalladas que el autor ofrece con tanto entusiasmo. Aún otorgando el beneficio de la duda, poner en práctica todo lo que recomienda esta fuera del alcance de la persona común y corriente.
March 14, 2015
Fantastic book! It changed my life for the better. I've read it twice and refer to it often. Brilliant author.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews