Is coral calcium any better than other forms of calcium, or is it better left at the bottom of the ocean ?

Coral calcium is a hot nutritional product, with promoters claiming it can treat or cure diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and lupus by increasing calcium levels and improving the body's pH balance, leaving many people hopeful that their aliments are behind them. Years of research have shown that calcium is an important part of a person's diet, but is coral calcium really the cream of the crop, or is it better left at the bottom of the ocean.?

How can you tell when the claims surrounding a product like coral calcium are fact or fiction?

The Origins of Coral Calcium  

Coral calcium comes from oceanic coral reefs that contain limestone, and limestone largely consists of calcium carbonate and traces of minerals. Since the law protects coral reefs from being harvested coral calcium is collected from the parts of a reef that have broken off and are lying on the sea floor.

The majority of coral calcium is  taken from shores off Okinawa, Japan. Some believe the drinking water of the Okinawans, which comes from the coral-rich waters off their coast, plays a part in their health and longevity. Japan has one of the highest percentages of citizens over the age of 100 in the world, according to the Okinawa Centenarian Study.