The first use of coral in medicine is impossible to document but it clearly began thousands of years ago. The use of mariceuticals (medicine from marine organisms) is well documented in ancient Arabic and Chinese literature but the first specific mention of coral is found in Indian Ayurvetic Medicine, dating back some 5,000 years.

	Coral was first introduced as medicine to the Western World by the 9th century Arab expansion into Europe. The Persian philosopher Al-Kindi had included coral in the "Medical Formulary" (830 A.D.), which was adopted by the Arab world upon the Muslim conversion of Persia and then spread during their westward campaigns.

Proof of western coral usage can be seen in the world's oldest pharmacy (established 1685), that is still in existence and preserved as a museum in northern Spain. Among the rows of bottles on the ancient shelves is a container of coral powder with the inscription that "The blond coral is the only coral used for medicine".

The inscription further states that the coral has a beneficial effect upon the heart and elevates the mood of the person taking it. History remains silent on coral from 1700 - 1900 but local legend reports that coral remained in use in Okinawa. Many say that the coral minerals are the reason for the indisputable longevity of the Okinawan people. Japanese population studies show that Okinawa has the highest incidence of people 100 years of age or over. These Okinawan Centurions are not a feeble group of invalids confined to a nursing home. These are active senior citizens with productive lives and enjoying their golden years, they just happen to be over 100 years of age.

American Use of Coral: Prior to 1980, coral, as a nutritional supplement, was unknown in the United States or virtually anywhere outside of Japan. A Swedish industrialist named Rolf Ericsson is credited with introducing coral to the western world. Rolf Ericsson's son Stephan was living in Japan and became familiar with the health giving qualities of Okinawa coral and convinced his father that it represented a sound business opportunity. Rolf Ericsson organized the distribution and successfully introduced nutritional coral into Europe and America. Rolf Ericsson selected the name "Coral Calcium" for the natural coral complex of 74 minerals.

This original Ericsson coral product was in the form of tea bags. Small tea bags containing 1000mg. of coral sand were recommended for placement in one liter of water. About 20% of the coral minerals would enter the water that was to be consumed throughout the day.

The president of Coral LLC. (Clint DeWitt) was among the first (February 1994) distributors of the Ericsson product in the USA. Clint DeWitt's coral distribution company grew rapidly until Ericsson restricted all sales to the Network Marketing (MLM) industry, thus leaving Clint DeWitt without a product to sell.

Clint DeWitt knew that consuming water treated with the coral sand provided significant health benefits and that eating the actual sand provided even greater results. The logical strategy was to develop a product consisting of fine coral powder capsules. Working with leading scientists, nutritionists and doctors, Clint DeWitt established a raw materials source for fine coral powder from Okinawa and after a complicated beginning developed the business that is now known as Coral LLC.

Ingesting the fine coral powder (as opposed to drinking water treated with coral sand) proved to be a far more effective way of putting minerals into the blood. This greatly increased method of coral mineral bioavailability attracted much attention and many companies quickly copied the successful concept. Encapsulated coral powder became the preferred coral product very rapidly and within a few months only a few distributors of the once popular coral tea bags remained.

In the mid 1990's the U.S. coral supplement market gained a foothold with Network Marketing (MLM) companies and eventually grew through television and Internet direct marketing. Although Coral LLC. supplied most of the market with raw materials and private label products, Coral LLC. developed different markets for their own retail brand. Initially Coral LLC. sales were made through doctor's offices and as awareness grew quality health food stores were added. Coral LLC. products are now sold through more doctor's offices and health food stores than any other brand of coral.

Many companies and infomercials make exaggerated claims about the health benefits of coral. It is not necessary to exaggerate. Coral is a fabulous product and should be promoted for what it is. Coral LLC. deals with the facts and encourages Internet and infomercial viewers to beware of overstated health claims and misleading information.