Calcium deficiency in the human body
Low serum calcium levels—hypocalcemia.
This condition is common but is mostly asymptomatic. A common cause of hypocalcemia is a deficiency of vitamin D, which is necessary for calcium to enter the circulatory system. Without enough vitamin D, the body cannot absorb calcium effectively, even if the diet is rich in it. Other causes of calcium deficiency include not enough calcium in the diet and hypoparathyroidism, or low levels of parathyroid hormone.
Chronic low calcium levels can lead to the development of osteoporosis, which reduces bone density and mass. It increases the risk of fractures and is more common in people over 60 years of age.
Find out your risk of developing osteoporosis with the Atlas Genetic Test.
Symptoms of calcium deficiency
Symptoms of low calcium can vary in severity. An external indicator of deficiency is the condition of nails, hair and skin. Neurological signs that require medical attention may also indicate a deficiency: numbness, memory loss or seizures.
If you have one or more of the symptoms listed below, your body may not be getting enough calcium:
| Brittle teeth, nails and hair | Dizziness and loss of consciousness |
| Swallowing disorder | Pain in the spine and pelvis |
| Dizziness and loss of consciousness | Compression fracture |
| Anxiety, irritability | Decrease in height |
| Low blood pressure | Lung spasms |
In the short term, the consequences are not obvious, but if the symptoms are ignored for a long time, it can lead to osteoporosis.
Hypocalcemia should not be treated on its own, as it is easy to exceed the recommended calcium intake, which can have serious consequences for the body.
Causes of calcium deficiency and the development of osteoporosis
The level of calcium in the body is affected not only by diet, but also by many other factors. Here are some reasons that increase the risk of calcium deficiency and subsequent development of osteoporosis:
| Factor | Effect on calcium levels |
| Low level of physical activity | A lifestyle with low levels of physical activity can cause calcium deficiency. |
| Tobacco and alcohol | Smoking and regular alcohol consumption negatively affect bone density. |
| Female | Maximum bone mass is lower in women than in men, so the risk of developing osteoporosis is higher in women. |
| Age | People over 60 years of age are at greater risk of low bone density and developing osteoporosis. |
| Origin and heredity | People of Asian descent and people with a family history of osteoporosis are at higher risk of developing it. |
| Eating disorders | Severe food restriction due to eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, as well as low weight, weakens bones in both women and men. |
| Low BMI | With a body mass index of 19 or lower, the risk of bone loss increases. |
| Some medications | Long-term use of certain medications, such as corticosteroids, breast cancer drugs, and anticonvulsants, reduce bone strength. |
| Celiac disease | If you are gluten intolerant, the absorption of certain nutrients in the intestines, including calcium, is slowed down. If celiac disease is left untreated, it can lead to osteoporosis. |
4.Treatment
It is obvious that treating hypercalcemia itself is pointless: it is necessary to identify and eliminate the causes of excess calcium. Based on the results of the diagnostic examination, a decision is made on further actions - removal of the tumor and subsequent oncology therapy, specialized treatment by an endocrinologist, stopping taking medications and vitamin complexes containing vitamin D, etc. In severe cases, hospitalization with intensive therapy is required - intravenous administration of saline and calcium antagonists, hemodialysis, forced diuresis drugs, etc. For less threatening conditions, calcitonin, pamidronic acid are used, according to indications, glucocorticosteroids, gallium nitrate and other drugs prescribed based on the specific clinical situation .
Calcium in foods
For most people, a balanced diet is enough to get the required amount of calcium per day.
Calcium in dairy products is the most reliable source, as it is most easily absorbed by the body. Photo by donald modeste / Unsplash
Bioavailability of calcium
The amount of mineral that enters the body differs from the amount in the product. How much calcium the body actually absorbs and uses is called “calcium bioavailability.” For example, its bioavailability in milk is about 30%. This means that if one glass of milk contains about 300 mg of calcium, the body only uses about 100 mg.
Table of high calcium dairy products:
| Product | Calcium content (mg)/100 g |
| Cheddar cheese | 739 |
| Brie cheese | 256 |
| Whole milk yogurt | 200 |
| Skimmed milk | 160 |
| Whole milk | 118 |
| Goat milk | 100 |
People with lactose intolerance should add more plant sources of calcium to their diet, as they also contain fiber. But while plant-based foods generally contain more calcium than dairy products, the bioavailability of calcium is lower. Moreover, some plant products contain antinutrients - substances that reduce the bioavailability of the mineral.
You can find out how your body copes with the breakdown of lactose using the Atlas Microbiota Test.
Foods and drinks of plant origin that reduce the bioavailability of calcium:
| Legumes: some varieties of beans, peas, chickpeas | Potatoes and sweet potatoes |
| Green leafy vegetables: spinach, chard, sorrel | Nuts and seeds |
| Whole grain products | Tea, coffee and other caffeinated drinks |
But this does not mean that these foods should be excluded from the diet - they contain other nutrients beneficial to the body. First, you can eat foods with calcium separately from foods that reduce its bioavailability. Secondly, some cooking methods such as soaking or fermentation reduce the amount of antinutrients in foods. Also, in many countries, manufacturers fortify such products with calcium and other important nutrients and vitamins.
Everything you need to know about fiber
Bioavailability of a nutrient is the amount that the body actually absorbs and uses.
In some cases, doctors may recommend taking calcium supplements or vitamins with calcium.
Classification
According to the current, chronic and acute hypercalcemia (hypercalcemic crisis) are distinguished. Based on the level of cation (in mmol/l), the following degrees of severity of hypercalcemia are distinguished:
- Easy.
The content of total Ca is less than 3, ionized Ca is less than 1.5. - Moderate.
The level of total Ca is up to 3.5, ionized - up to 1.8. - Heavy.
Total Ca is above 3.5, ionized Ca is more than 1.8.
Pseudohypercalcemia is considered separately. Part of the calcium binds to plasma proteins, therefore diseases such as paraproteinemic hemoblastoses (multiple myeloma), characterized by a high protein content in the blood, are accompanied by an increase in the level of total calcium. Determination of ionized calcium helps to exclude false hypercalcemia.
Calcium for Vegans
The main source of calcium in the human diet is dairy products, which are excluded from the diet of vegans. Therefore, they are at greater risk of calcium deficiency and decreased bone density than non-vegans.
Photo by Ella Olsson / Unsplash
Contrary to popular belief, plants can also provide the body with calcium. For example, soy milk and other milk substitutes and dairy products are often fortified with calcium. Some studies show that a balanced vegan diet can maintain bone density equal to that of people with a regular diet.
Plant sources of calcium include:
- Bread fortified with calcium
- Soy products, especially those labeled "fortified with calcium"
- Calcium-fortified plant-based drinks: soy, almond, rice milk
- Dried fruits, such as figs, raisins, dried apricots
- Seeds: chia, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds
- Legumes
- Oranges
- Broccoli
Form
Pathogenesis
An increase in calcium content in the blood changes the membrane potential of cells, which leads to inhibition of neuromuscular conduction in skeletal muscles, myocardium, and the gastrointestinal tract. The pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric symptoms is not completely clear. The role of slowing down the conduction of nerve impulses is assumed. Calcification of blood vessels, internal organs, dystrophy, and tissue shrinkage develops.
Due to hypercalciuria (increased filtration of calcium in the nephron tubules), the risk of nephrolithiasis increases. Calcium inhibits adenylate cyclase, which suppresses the renal effect of antidiuretic hormone. Also, due to the high extracellular concentration of this cation, the secretion of hydrochloric acid by the lining cells of the stomach increases, which leads to the development of peptic ulcers.
Make a note
- Calcium enters the body only with food. The main source is dairy products.
- Both high and low calcium levels can negatively impact your health.
- Calcium is especially important during growth and pregnancy.
- A balanced diet and vitamin D are the key to getting the calcium your body needs.
- The average person needs about 500 mg of calcium per day.
- Lifestyle has a big impact on bone health.
- The bioavailability of calcium from dairy products is higher than in plant products. However, sufficient amounts of calcium can still be obtained from a plant-based diet if it is balanced.
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How to Diagnose Hypercalcemia
If excess keratin or liver dysfunction can be determined by the yellowish color of the skin, then excess calcium cannot be diagnosed by eye. You can find out your calcium level through a simple biochemical blood test. If the laboratory notes an excess of the element, an additional examination will be prescribed, which is already aimed at identifying the cause of the metabolic disorder.
Women are advised to have a mammogram to rule out breast cancer. At the same time, it is important to undergo a chest x-ray. In order to find out how much the bones have lost their strength, a magnetic resonance imaging scan is shown. It will show the density of the skeleton and identify particularly depleted areas.
If the patient takes any medications on an ongoing basis, you should definitely inform your doctor about this so that he takes this into account when interpreting diagnostic materials.
