Calcium deficiency and excess - causes, symptoms and consequences

What is calcium? What role does it play in the body?

Macronutrients are ingredients whose content in the body is greater than 0.01%, and the daily demand for these compounds exceeds 100 mg. One of such ingredients is calcium, an element whose total weight in the human body can be up to 1.5 kg. Interestingly, as much as 99% of the total weight of calcium in the body occurs in bones and teeth, and only 1% is used to maintain normal metabolic functions in the human body.

The calcium is an element with versatile action. It is a building component that forms both bones and teeth, as well as blood vessels, hair or nails. It is the element that cares for the proper functioning of the nervous system, participating in the conduction of nerve stimuli, as well as a compound that is responsible for the regulation of hormonal and metabolic management.

The calcium is necessary for the proper functioning of the heart and cardiovascular system, and what is more, it can affect the synthesis of antibodies and the motility of macrophages, and thus can support the immune system. In addition, the calcium is involved in blood clotting, is responsible for muscle contractions and the healing process of wounds. Interestingly, an adequate supply of the element along with a daily diet can also reduce the risk of diet-related diseases, such as hypertension or obesity, and support the treatment of these diseases.

Demand for calcium

The daily requirement of the human body for the calcium depends on the period of life. The normal concentration of the calcium in the blood serum is 2.1-2.6 mmol/l. Increased demand can be observed during intensive growth of the body, as well as among the elderly - among men, the body's needs increase after the age of 65, however, among women, the increased supply of the element is worth using after the 50th birthday.

According to the Nutrition Standards for the Polish population developed by the Institute of Food and Nutrition, the recommended average intake (RDA) of the calcium among children in the period of intensive growth, between 10 and 18 years of age, it is 1300 mg/day. Then, the body's need for the element decreases both among women and among men to 1000 mg/day, and again increases to 1200 mg/day among women over 50 years of age and among men after 65 years of age.

Although the calcium is commonly found in many food products, according to the results of scientific research, the bioavailability of the element from the menu is only 25%, which makes that the shortage of this macroelement is common phenomenon among the society. What can be the causes of hypocalcaemia and its effects?

Calcium deficiency - causes

Hypocalcaemia occurs when concentration of calcium in the blood serum is less than 2.1 mmol/l.

The most common cause of calcium deficiency in the body is too low supply of the element along with the diet, among others, too low intake of milk and dairy products. The calcium deficiency may occur in particular among people struggling with lactose intolerance or allergy to cow's milk protein. The hypocalcemia can also be observed among people using unbalanced plant diets.

The calcium deficiency may also be associated with the occurrence of certain diseases, such as celiac disease, hypoparathyroidism, Crohn's disease or obesity. As a consequence of some diseases, impaired calcium absorption may occur, and there may also be increased excretion of the element from the body or impaired its regulation.

The hypocalcaemia may also be promoted by vitamin D deficiency in the body, as well as excessive consumption of certain compounds, such as sodium, phosphorus, oxalic acid or phytates.

Calcium deficiency - symptoms and effects

Symptoms of the calcium deficiency include.:

muscle spasms,
numbness of the limbs,
muscle and joint pain,
increased risk of bone fractures,
tendency to rashes,
dizziness,
increased hair loss and brittleness of nails,
excessive fatigue,
memory impairment,
toothache,
cardiac arrhythmias,
haemorrhages and frequent bruising.

The calcium deficiency can also have a number of undesirable consequences, contributing in children to bone deformation and the development of rickets, as well as increased crying at night and early caries.

In adults, low calcium levels may contribute to osteomalacia and osteoporosis. In addition, the hypocalcaemia may result in neurological disorders and may lead to increased blood pressure and the development of tetany. A tetany attack associated with low levels of calcium in the body can cause the occurrence of tonic contractions of the muscles of the hands, arms, as well as the face, chest and legs. Migraine attacks or abdominal pain may also occur.

How to supplement calcium deficiency in the human body?

The basic method of diagnosing hypocalcaemia is to test the level of calcium in the blood. During the tests, the concentration of total calcium is determined, as well as its biologically active fraction, that is, the concentration of ionized calcium.

When diagnosing the calcium deficiency, it is very important to recognize the cause of the disorder, which makes it easier to take prompt treatment. Most often, the first recommendation in the case of the hypocalcemia is to increase the share in the daily diet of products rich in macronutrients. In what foods is it worth looking for calcium? Where is the most of it?

Sources of calcium - milk, cheese, eggs, nuts, legumes

Where is the most calcium? - Sources of calcium in food

The richest sources of the calcium include milk and dairy products. The largest amounts of the mineral can be found in Parmesan (1380 mg of calcium/100 g of product), but among good sources of the calcium can also be mentioned:

yellow cheese,
feta cheese,
camembert cheese,
kefirs,
natural yoghurts,
cottage cheese,
fish such as sardines, herring or cod.

In turn, among plant products, the best sources of the calcium can be considered:

poppy blue,
almonds,
parsley,
hazelnuts,
kale,
cocoa,
sunflower seeds,
wheat bran,
spinach.

Although the bioavailability of calcium from food is about 25%, it can be increased by, among others, an adequate supply of vitamin D or lactose, as well as phosphopeptides from milk.

Excess of calcium - causes

Although the calcium deficiency occurs much more often in society, sometimes can also be observed hypercalcemia, or excess of the element in the body. The hypercalcemia can be diagnosed when level of calcium in the blood serum is higher than 2.6 mmol/l. What could be the causes of the hypercalcaemia?

The most common cause of too high calcium concentration in the body is incorrect intake of dietary supplements containing this component. However, the cause of excess in the element may also be the occurrence of certain diseases, such as primary hyperparathyroidism or malignant tumors, as well as excessive supply of vitamin D, reduced excretion of calcium from the body or impaired bone formation.

Excess of calcium - symptoms and effects

What can be the symptoms of an excess element in the body? Too much concentration of the calcium in the blood can lead to undesirable symptoms, such as.:

constipation,
nausea and vomiting,
increased thirst,
frequent urination,
inappetence,
fatigue,
disorientation,
calcification of blood vessels.

The hypercalcemia can also lead to impaired absorption of other minerals such as iron or zinc, as well as the development of affliction such as kidney failure.

Is excess of calcium in the body harmful?

Paying attention to the above symptoms, which may occur as a result of the excessive calcium intake, it can be concluded that excess of the calcium in the body can adversely affect the functioning of the body and be harmful to humans. It is worth noting that the hypercalcemia associated with excessive consumption of products rich in the macroelement is unlikely to occur, and the excess of the element is most often caused by improper intake of dietary supplements.

According to the current state of knowledge, excessive consumption of high doses of dietary supplements containing the calcium, can lead to the occurrence of gastrointestinal ailments, such as bloating, nausea and abdominal pain and to increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, such as stroke or heart attack.

Dietary supplements containing calcium - which form of calcium is the best?

The calcium is commonly found in many dietary supplements available on the market. In the preparations, can be found the element in various chemical forms. The most common forms include:

calcium carbonate,
calcium lactate,
calcium chloride,
calcium hydroxide,
calcium citrate,
calcium lysinate,
calcium gluconate.

Which form of the calcium is the best? What preparation containing the element to choose?

Due to the number of studies carried out so far, it is difficult to clearly determine which chemical form of the calcium is the best absorbed and provides the human body with the largest amounts of the macronutrient. According to the current state of knowledge, it is most often recommended to use the calcium carbonate or the calcium citrate. The calcium lysate is also distinguished by good bioavailability, but it is a form rarely used in dietary supplements.

To increase the degree of calcium absorption from the dietary supplement, it is worth taking the preparation during a meal, which may have a beneficial effect on its bioavailability.

Dietary supplements containing calcium - is it worth using them?

As we have already mentioned, the calcium is often a component of dietary supplements. But is it worth reaching for them? Is supplying calcium to the body in the form of ready-made preparations a good solution?

The use of dietary supplements with calcium may prove to be a valuable support among people struggling with increased demand for the element, which together with food do not provide the body with adequate amounts of the calcium. In addition, the supply of preparations containing the macroelement may be beneficial among people struggling with mineral deficiency, in order to cover the demand for this micronutrient.

The best solution to cover calcium demand is a healthy, varied and balanced diet. However, sometimes when it is difficult to cover the increased demand with food, or when the doctor recommends the use of dietary supplements, preparations containing the calcium can be extremely helpful.

However, each time it is worth consulting a doctor before starting to take preparations on your own hand - so as not to lead to excessive supply of the element and the occurrence of undesirable side effects, and also for the development of some diseases, it is worth before starting to take preparations containing the calcium, do appropriate tests, determining the level of the element in the body.

Bibliography:

Natalia Goździak

Copywriter - nutritionist. Bachelor's degree in sports dietetics She graduated from the Academy of Physical Education in Poznan, while her master's degree in dietoprophylaxis and dietotherapy - from the University of Physical Education in Poznan. at UP in Poznań. However, she treats the principles of healthy eating primarily as valuable guidelines, rather than strict rules that must be strictly followed. Knowledge in the field of copywriting, on the other hand, she draws from courses and industry literature, but since the best way to learn is to practice. learning is practice, she spends many hours each day playing with words and creating new, unique content. content. Privately, she is passionate about photography and can't imagine life without books.

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