Calcium (dicalcium phosphate)
We have more calcium in our bodies than any other mineral and 90% of that calcium is found in our bones. Calcium is vital for strong bones and teeth but is used in many more functions. Calcium is dissolved in the fluid in our body, those inside cells and that bathe cells. There it helps muscles spring into action and aids in blood clotting. It assists nerves in transmitting impulses and helps launch hormones and enzymes to complete their journey. Calcium supplementation is used to prevent the body from robbing calcium from the bones for utilization of other necessary functions. MedOp calcium is derived from shell.

Chloride
The word chloride can refer to a chemical compound in which one or more chlorine atoms are covalently bonded in the molecule. This means that chlorides can be either inorganic or organic compounds. MedOp uses organic chloride paired with potassium in Maxi formulas to create potassium chloride which is used to prevent or to treat a potassium deficiency. Potassium is a mineral that is found naturally in foods and is necessary for many normal functions of the body, especially beating of the heart. Chloride ions have important physiological roles. For instance, in the central nervous system the inhibitory action of glycine and some of the action of GABA relies on the entry of Cl^- (The chloride ion is formed when the element chlorine picks up one electron to form the anion (negatively charged ion) Cl^- into specific neurons. Also, the chloride-bicarbonate exchanger biological transport protein relies on the chloride ion to increase the blood's capacity of carbon dioxide, in the form of the bicarbonate ion.

Choline
Needed for the proper transmission of nerve impulses from the brain through the central nervous system, as well as for gallbladder regulation, liver function ad lecithin formulation. It aids in hormone production and minimizes excess fat in the liver because it aids in fat and cholesterol metabolism. Without choline, brain function and memory are impaired. Choline is beneficial for disorders of the nervous system such as Parkinsons and tardive dyskinesia. A deficiency may result in fatty buildup in the liver as well as, cardiac symptoms, gastric ulcers, high blood pressure, inability to digest fats, kidney and liver impairment and stunted growth. Research indicates that choline plays an important roll in cardiovascular health as well as reproduction and fetal development. One study showed choline needed for prevention and treatment of atheriosclerosis and the metabolism of homocysteine.

Chondroitin Sulfate
Chondroitin sulfate is an important structural component of cartilage and provides much of its resistance to compression. Along with glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate has become a widely used dietary supplement for treatment of osteoarthritis.

Chromium
This essential trace mineral is vital to health. In fact, the evidence is stronger than ever that chromium deficiency plays a fundamental role in the development of type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetes. Type 2 typically affects people in their forties, fifties or sixties rather than being a lifelong problem. Supplementation may partly reverse some of the effects of type 2 diabetes.

Coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10, a powerful antioxidant is also called ubiquinone, which signifies its ubiquitous (widespread) distribution in the human body. CoQ10 is used by the body to transform food into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy on which the body runs.

Virtually every cell in the human body contains CoQ10. The heart and the liver contain the greatest amounts of CoQ10. Studies have found that as we age, our body's supply of CoQ10 slowly decreases. After about age 30, levels begin to decline.

Please see our CoQ10 page for more information.

Copper
Copper-Cubric Oxide containing enzymes have diverse roles. They help us form strong, flexible connective tissue, produce energy, use iron, and manufacture cholesterol. Copper has a direct effect on our bones, skin, heart, liver, blood, kidneys, thyroid, and the immune system. Copper containing enzymes cross link collagen, the body’s most important connective tissues, which is used to make skin, bones, lungs and other tissues.

Cryptoxanthin
Cryptoxanthin, also known as beta-cryptoxanthin, is a member of the carotenoid family. Like alpha- and beta-carotene, cryptoxanthin is a powerful antioxidant that can be converted to active retinol, or vitamin A, in the body. Vitamin A is crucial to the maintenance of healthy vision, reproduction, and body tissues. Recent studies have shown that cryptoxanthin also plays an important role in preventing many forms of cancer. A study published in the January 2004 issue of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention reported that people with diets high in cryptoxanthin were 30 percent less likely to develop lung cancer. A lack of cryptoxanthin in the diet appears to leave the body vulnerable to other types of cancer as well. Researchers theorize that cryptoxanthin protects against cancer both by neutralizing free radicals and by stimulating the RB gene, a gene that prevents cells from becoming cancerous. There is evidence showing that a modest increase in cryptoxanthin intake, equivalent to one glass of freshly squeezed orange juice per day, is associated with a reduced risk of developing inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Curcumin
See Turmeric Root