For normal functioning of the human body, a regular supply of vitamins, nutrients and minerals is necessary. A deficiency of any element causes a malfunction of the entire body and leads to various health problems.
Calcium is an essential element of metabolism and its deficiency is acutely felt by all organs and systems of the body. The most common diseases caused by calcium deficiency are hypocalcemia, hypocalcinosis, and osteoporosis.
Why is calcium needed in the body?
As almost everyone knows, calcium is the main element of bones and teeth, but its role in the body is not limited to this. Calcium regulates the contractile function of the heart, nourishes nervous tissue, ensures the conduction of nerve impulses, reduces the level of bad cholesterol, regulates blood pressure, maintains normal blood pH levels, is involved in the transport of nutrients and the removal of metabolic products, etc. The need for this element increases significantly during pregnancy, and a lack of calcium makes normal development of the fetus impossible and worsens the condition of the expectant mother.
What is the purpose of each mineral in Calcemin® Advance?
— Copper is involved in the formation of cross-links in collagen. — Manganese and zinc contribute to the formation of the collagen matrix. — Magnesium is necessary to restore bone structure. — Boron helps bone cell growth and collagen production.
Thus, Calcemin® Advance helps stop calcium leaching and prevent vitamin D3 deficiency so that bones remain strong, and if taken in a timely manner, avoid the manifestation of unwanted symptoms in both adults and children.
What can cause calcium deficiency in the body?
A lack of calcium in the body occurs in two cases. When there is insufficient intake of a mineral from food or when the body’s ability to absorb this trace element decreases. Calcium deficiency can be caused by:
- dysfunction of the thyroid and parathyroid glands;
- impaired absorption of calcium in the intestine caused by intestinal diseases (dysbacteriosis, allergies, colitis, etc.)
- metabolic disorder, which is characterized by low levels of vitamin D and high levels of lead, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, cobalt, potassium and sodium, which contribute to the excretion of calcium;
- uncontrolled use of diuretics and diuretics;
- hormonal disorders (lack of estrogen);
- elderly age.
Abuse of coffee-containing drinks, alcohol and smoking are pathogenic factors in the occurrence of calcium deficiency in the body.
What are the consequences of calcium deficiency?
As calcium is washed out of bone tissue into the blood, the tendency to fractures, dislocations, and subluxations increases. Young people periodically experience joint pain characteristic of osteoporosis, while older people experience fractures of the vertebral bodies or the neck of the femur.
Photo: istockphoto.com
If calcium deficiency has already been diagnosed, it is better to take a course of supplements. The best absorbable form is calcium citrate. It is taken in a dosage of 800-1200 mg per day (pregnant women and elderly people 1500 mg) on an empty stomach. Calcium is better absorbed when reacting with acid, for example, taken simultaneously with vitamin C or lemon juice). Vitamin D, adequate animal protein intake and a healthy gastrointestinal tract are also essential.
Consult your physician before taking supplements.
Symptoms of calcium deficiency in the body
Calcium deficiency does not have specific, pronounced symptoms. As a rule, a general deterioration in health is diagnosed, expressed in the following disorders:
- increased nervous excitability, sleep disturbances, irritability, fatigue, decreased performance;
- muscle cramps, tingling, numbness of fingers and toes, with periodic pain;
- dry and flaky skin, brittle nails, increased sweating, especially in the head area;
- tooth decay, increased bleeding gums;
- frequent fractures and cracks of bones, development of osteoporosis;
- disruption of heart function up to the development of heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia;
- blood clotting disorder;
- decreased immunity, which is expressed in a long course of the disease and frequent morbidity;
- increased sensitivity to cold, chilliness, body aches, severe chills.
Can you get calcium only from foods?
If there are enough food sources of calcium in the diet, the gastrointestinal tract is functioning well, there is no vitamin D deficiency and there is no excess of coffee and alcohol, then there is no need to take additional calcium.
Photo: istockphoto.com
The most calcium is found in hard, aged cheese. Also rich in calcium:
Fermented milk products without added sugar:
natural cottage cheese, yogurt, kefir with a short shelf life in glass or paper packaging, as well as goat and sheep milk products.
Egg yolk. Seeds:
sesame, poppy, flax, hemp, amaranth, chia, mustard.
Nuts:
almonds, brazil, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios.
They need to be soaked and washed: this way we neutralize phytic acid, which interferes with the absorption of calcium and other vitamins and minerals. Fish and seafood:
sardines, crabs, shrimp, shellfish.
Vegetables:
all types of cabbage, onions, olives, greens, except sorrel and spinach.
Legumes:
soybeans (including edamame beans), beans, etc.
What will happen to the body if you eat dairy products every day?
Treatment of Ca deficiency
The disease can occur in acute and chronic form. An acute condition requires treatment in a hospital setting, as it threatens the patient’s life. In case of chronic calcium deficiency in the body, synthetic calcium-containing preparations, vitamin and mineral complexes are prescribed, the diet is adjusted to increase the intake of microelements in food, and concomitant pathologies are treated. To speed up metabolic processes, sufficient physical activity is recommended.
Calcium deficiency cannot be treated on your own. Self-medication is especially dangerous during pregnancy or childhood. An overdose of calcium in the body, which occurs from uncontrolled intake of calcium supplements, can pose a serious health hazard. You should take any medications only after examination and consultation with a specialist.
At a medical clinic, you can undergo a comprehensive examination to determine the level of calcium in the body and, based on its results, receive qualified consultation from a doctor. It is important to remember that uncontrolled use of calcium supplements is dangerous to health. Without determining the degree of calcium deficiency, the causes of pathology, identifying and treating diseases that could provoke a lack of the mineral, you cannot take calcium supplements. Treatment of complications of the disease may also be necessary, and this should also be done by a specialist. You can make an appointment by phone: +, +.
If you don't have enough calcium
WOMEN HEALTH
Calcium is a macronutrient that is involved in the formation and strengthening of bone tissue, teeth, hair and nails. It is found in blood, cells and tissue fluids. Calcium affects the permeability of foreign bacteria, viruses and allergens through the walls of blood vessels.
The effects of calcium on the body are enormous. And its deficiency can provoke such troubles as ailments and various diseases.
Frequent seizures
One of the signs of calcium deficiency may be increasingly frequent cramps in the calves. Less common are contractions in the arms, armpits and thighs. They usually occur at night or in the morning. They are accompanied by acute pain and cannot be controlled in any way.
Calcium is important in transmitting nerve impulses to muscles and is responsible for their contraction. If the calcium level in the blood is low, a spasm occurs.
Calcium may not be absorbed due to a lack of vitamin D and B vitamins. If you think that you consume enough foods containing the macronutrient calcium, then you should pay attention to other foods that should contain vitamins B and D.
Brittle nails
The normal calcium content in the nail plate in women is from 900 to 4500 mcg per 1 g of dry weight; in men this figure is lower - from 450 to 1500 mcg/g. Fluctuations in this indicator, both down and up, indicate an imbalance of the macronutrient throughout the body.
The reasons for calcium deficiency can be different:
- its low content in food;
- adolescence – at this time there is an increased consumption of macronutrients for bone mineralization;
- pregnancy – the skeleton of the unborn baby is actively being built and calcium is being washed out of the mother’s body;
- menopause in a woman;
- various diseases of the body that prevent the proper absorption of calcium from food.
With a lack of calcium, nails can become:
- softer;
- less durable;
- stratified;
- brittle.
White stripes and spots, familiar to many, may be associated with calcium deficiency. This is a violation of the keratinization of the nail plate, which contributes to the formation of voids between its layers. And they already lead to fragility.
The body seeks to compensate for the lack of calcium by taking it from “non-essential” parts of the body. With a deficiency of this mineral, hair becomes brittle and thin, nails peel (a very unpleasant sight), and even teeth make themselves felt. All these signs should alert you.
Dry skin
Calcium plays a significant role for human skin. Its main functions:
- restoration of the protective function of the epidermis and regulation of lipid production;
- it is he who “stitches” the lipid layers of the skin together, ensuring their density and enhancing the moisture-resistant function of the skin;
- regulation of keratinization processes;
- participates in the process of sebum secretion;
- enhances the antioxidant role of the skin, keeps elastin and collagen fibers intact;
- regulates the tone of capillaries and blood vessels and helps carry out skin lymphatic drainage.
If the foods and dishes consumed by a person are not rich enough in calcium, then over time this will lead to the following deviations:
- increasingly slow cell renewal, difficult maturation of keratinocytes leads to dryness and thinning of the skin layer;
- a decrease in the activity of fibroblasts leads to a decrease in the firmness and elasticity of the skin, a decrease in the synthesis of structural elements of the skin and its depletion;
- weakness of capillaries.
All these changes will gradually lead to irreversible skin aging processes. Therefore, preventing and eliminating calcium deficiency is very important.
Tooth decay
The lack of calcium in the human body is compensated by its gradual leaching into the blood from the skeleton. If such a deficit is replenished in a timely manner, then no dangerous consequences will occur.
If the process of deficiency is chronic, then deviations from the norm arise, which the body gives us with the following symptoms:
- bleeding and gum disease;
- tooth decay.
Calcium is involved in the endless process of restoring tooth enamel. Since it does not stop for a second, the teeth need this macronutrient continuously.
Have you noticed similar problems in yourself or a loved one? Review your diet and, if necessary, include foods rich in calcium.
In addition to eating foods with sufficient calcium, you can add medicated toothpaste with this element as an additional source.
Insomnia
The macroelement calcium is directly involved in the synthesis of melatonin. Calcium levels in the body increase during deep sleep. And the lack leads to its violation. This element helps the brain use the amino acid tryptophan, which enters the body with consumed proteins. And it has a positive effect on the production of the hormone melatonin, which affects the quality and duration of sleep and, as a result, a person’s mental health.
If you start to sleep poorly, then first of all you need to look at your diet. Analyze the calcium and protein content in the dishes and products you eat and make adjustments.
All the symptoms listed in the article may indicate not only a lack of calcium, but may be based on completely different reasons.
The first thing you should do is pay close attention to your diet, analyze what and in what quantities you eat. Adjust if necessary. At the same time, it is necessary to take a biochemical blood test and look for calcium macronutrient deficiency.
Doctor - hygienist
State Institution "Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology"
Frunzensky district of Minsk"
Gapanovich Valentina,
Scientists link physical activity to calcium deposits in arteries
With calcification of the coronary arteries, calcium salts are deposited in the wall of the vessels bringing arterial blood to the myocardium. This is usually asymptomatic, and only a few years after the onset of calcification, heart pain, weakness, and dizziness appear.
Regular physical activity has long been strongly associated with a reduced risk of obesity, diabetes, heart attacks and strokes, and, overall, premature death. However, as new work from cardiologists at the University of Leicester has shown, the most athletic people have calcification of the coronary arteries. Scientists talked about this in more detail in an article in the journal Heart
.
Scientists have previously found signs of coronary artery calcification in physically active people.
Calcification is a serious risk factor for heart attack caused by decreased blood supply to the heart.
Calcinosis is more often observed in older people, mainly men with poor diet. However, it can also occur in people 20-30 years old without any cardiovascular disease.
The researchers collected data from healthy adults who underwent regular comprehensive examinations at two large medical centers in Seoul and Suwon, South Korea, between March 2011 and December 2021. At each health examination, participants completed a questionnaire that included questions about personal and family history, lifestyle, and educational level. Weight (BMI), blood pressure and blood fat levels were also assessed. Physical activity was divided into low, moderate and intense.
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The scientists then tracked changes in the coronary arteries for an average of three years. The final analysis included data from 25.5 thousand people, mostly men. 47% of them had low physical activity, 38% had moderate physical activity, and 15% had intense physical activity, for example, jogging 6.5 km a day.
Those who were more physically active tended to be older and less likely to smoke. They also had lower levels of total cholesterol, higher blood pressure and more calcium deposits in their coronary arteries.
The relationship between the level of physical activity and the condition of the arteries appeared over time, regardless of their initial condition.
Higher physical activity was associated with faster progression in both those who did not have calcium deposits at the start of the study and those who already had them.
The study does not determine the cause of these changes, the researchers note. They have several guesses.
Physical activity can increase arterial narrowing through mechanical stress and damage to the vessel walls, as well as through physiological reactions such as increased blood pressure and levels of certain hormones. Physical activity also affects the effects of food.
Researchers also do not exclude that, despite calcification, the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases does not increase.
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“The benefits of physical activity for the cardiovascular system are undeniable,” they emphasize, recalling national recommendations of 150-300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or 75-150 minutes of vigorous activity. “However, patients and physicians need to be aware that physical activity may accelerate the progression of coronary artery calcification.”
Calcification may also have a beneficial effect, the scientists add. Calcified atherosclerotic plaque is more stable and less prone to tearing off, which can cause blockage of the vessel and, as a result, a heart attack or stroke. A similar result is observed, for example, when taking statins.
“The increased rate of coronary artery calcification is a phenomenon that occurs in response to both effective treatment, such as statin therapy, and exercise,” they note. “Assessing the degree of calcification should not be assumed to assess a patient’s cardiovascular risk.”
To assess risks, experts recommend paying attention to non-calcified plaques.
Physical activity remains the best way to control these risks. Those who are concerned about the condition of their blood vessels should consult a doctor to find out if there are any problems.
The authors of the work add that they did not have objective data on the loads of the subjects - the information was obtained through self-reports. In addition, there were no known cases of heart attacks or strokes, so the actual risks to the cardiovascular system cannot be judged.
