Signs and Symptoms of Calcium Deficiency

Jul 04, 2023, 16:45 IST

When the blood has low calcium levels, a condition called hypocalcemia, commonly referred to as calcium deficiency illness, develops. Early indications of a calcium deficiency may not exist. It is often not serious, but if left untreated, it might be fatal. Long-term calcium deficiency can cause osteoporosis, which makes the bones brittle, cataracts, changes in the brain, and dental and cognitive problems. When the person does not consume a balanced diet, does not include calcium sources in his/her food or suffers from some genetic metabolic disorder in which the body cannot absorb calcium, these deficiency symptoms are experienced.

We discuss calcium deficiency illness prevention and treatment in this article. We also discuss its symptoms and potential victims.

Calcium and its Sources

• Calcium is a nutrient necessary for all living things, including people. It is the most prevalent mineral in the body and is crucial for strong bones.
• Humans require calcium to develop and maintain healthy bones; bones and teeth contain 99% of the body's calcium. To keep the brain and other sections of the body communicating properly, it is also important. It affects how your heart and muscles move.
• Numerous foods contain calcium naturally, and certain food products also include calcium that food makers add. Additionally, there are supplements available.
• People require vitamin D in addition to calcium because it aids in calcium absorption. Fish oil, dairy products with added vitamin D, and sunshine are sources of vitamin D.

Calcium may be found in various foods and beverages. These are reliable sources:

• Yoghurt-enriched dairy substitutes, such as soy milk
• Sardines with cheese and salmon
• Green leafy vegetables with tofu, including kale, watercress, broccoli, and turnip leaves
• Numerous breakfast cereals with added nutrients
• Enhanced fruit juices
• Nuts and seeds, particularly chia, sesame, and almond
• Grains and legumes
• Corn tortillas and cornmeal

Calcium is included in certain dark green vegetables, including spinach. But they also have a lot of oxalic acid in them. Oxalic acid decreases the capacity of the body to absorb calcium.

Functions of Calcium

Contraction of muscles

• Calcium controls how muscles contract. Calcium is released from the body when a neuron activates a muscle.
• The calcium aids the muscle's proteins in performing the contraction task.
• The muscle will relax once the body has pumped all of the calcium out of it.

Control of the Heart and Circulation

• Blood clotting depends heavily on calcium. The process of clotting is multi-step and intricate. Various substances, including calcium, are used in these.
• The functioning of the heart muscle is controlled by the muscles that calcium helps sustain. The smooth muscle that lines blood arteries relaxes when exposed to calcium. Numerous studies have suggested a potential connection between consuming a lot of calcium and having lower blood pressure.

Healthy bones

• The bones and teeth contain the majority of the calcium in the human body—about 99%. Calcium is crucial for the formation, expansion, and preservation of bone.
• Calcium aids in the growth of children's bones as they grow. Calcium keeps supporting bone health even after a person stops growing by slowing the normal loss of bone mass that comes with ageing.
• Women who have previously gone through menopause may face more bone density loss than men or younger individuals. A doctor could advise calcium supplements for them since they are more likely to develop osteoporosis.

Other functions

Many enzymes require calcium as a co-factor. Some important enzymes cannot function well without calcium.

Additionally, studies have shown that getting adequate calcium can lead to:

• a decreased risk of high blood pressure-related problems during pregnancy
• lowered blood pressure in adolescents
• lower blood pressure in individuals whose pregnant moms had adequate calcium
• better cholesterol numbers
• a decreased chance of colorectal adenomas, a form of benign tumour

Calcium Deficiency and its Causes

Digestion

One of the most frequent causes of a calcium deficiency is impaired liver function or low stomach acid levels. Our bodies have a hard time absorbing the mineral calcium.

Influence of other nutrients

Calcium is disrupted by excess phosphorus (found in large quantities in bran, wheat germ, cheese, soybeans, and bacon), and calcium absorption is hampered by meals high in oxalic acid (found in rhubarb, raw spinach, and chocolate). Since calcium must be used for energy, deficiencies in magnesium or vitamin D may indirectly contribute to calcium.

Insufficient or inadequate supplement

The following kinds of calcium and magnesium supplements are available: carbonate, oxide, gluconate, citrate, and dicalcium phosphate. These supplements are often of poor quality. Citrate is acceptable, although it can make you fatigued or give you a headache.

Calcium Deficiency Symptoms

A lack of calcium can have a wide range of negative impacts on the muscles, bones, teeth, and even mental health because it is crucial for many body processes.

There are often no early signs if a poor food intake is to blame for the deficit. A person may eventually develop osteopenia, or poor bone density. In the absence of therapy, this may result in osteoporosis, or brittle bones.

However, a calcium deficit is typically not caused by nutrition; rather, it is a health issue or therapy, such as renal failure, stomach removal, or the use of certain drugs, such as diuretics, that causes it.

Problems with muscles

A calcium shortage may cause a person to have:

• Muscular spasms, cramps, and pains
• Numbness and tingling in the hands, arms, feet, legs, and around the mouth, as well as discomfort in the thighs and arms while walking or moving
• Although these symptoms may come and go, they do not usually go away with activity.

A more severe deficit may be indicated by more intense feelings, which can also result in Trusted Source:

• Convulsions
• Arrhythmias
• Death

Nail and skin issues

• Long-term calcium shortage can result in:
• Dry skin dry, chipped, or fragile nails
• Coarse hair alopecia, which results in patchy hair loss
• Eczema, a skin inflammatory condition that can cause dry or itchy areas,
• Psoriasis
• Severe tiredness

Extremely low calcium levels can result in acute exhaustion, which includes a lack of energy and a general sense of sluggishness. Additionally, it may cause sleeplessness.

Along with fatigue, a calcium shortage can also cause lightheadedness, dizziness, and brain fog, which can cause difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, and confusion.

Bone fragility and osteoporosis

Although the bones can retain calcium efficiently, they need a lot of it to be strong. Calcium may be diverted from the bones by the body when levels are low overall, rendering the bones brittle and more vulnerable to damage.

• Osteopenia, or a decline in bone mineral density, is a long-term side effect of inadequate calcium intake.
• Osteoporosis, which thins the bones and makes them more brittle, as well as pain and posture issues, can result from this.
• Osteoporosis and other consequences of a calcium deficit might take years to manifest.

Depression

Although further study will be need to establish this, some evidence shows that calcium insufficiency may be related to mood disorders, including depression.

A doctor should be seen by anyone who believes that their depressive symptoms may be caused by a calcium shortage. A calcium supplement may be suggested by the doctor after determining the patient's calcium levels.

Oral health issues

The body draws calcium from places like the teeth when it is deficient in it. Dental issues caused by this might include:

• Decayed teeth
• Fragile teeth and sore gums
• Brittle tooth roots
• A baby's teeth growth might also be hampered by a calcium shortage.

Extreme PMS

• Severe premenstrual syndrome and low calcium levels have been associated with low caclium. (PMS).
• In a 2017 study, participants who took 500 mg of calcium daily for two months reported feeling happier and had less fluid retention.
• Researchers found that low calcium and vitamin D levels during the second part of the menstrual cycle may be a factor in PMS symptoms in the year 2019. The group suggested that dietary supplements could aid in symptom relief.

Risk Factors

While health professionals are still determining the precise prevalence of this deficit, certain populations are at more risk than others.

• Post-menopausal women
• individuals who are lactose intolerant
• individuals with lactose intolerance individuals with amenorrhea, which is the lack of menstruation individuals consuming vegetarian or vegan diets
• In, males older than 51 years, males older than 9 years, and females older than 4 years, particularly teenage girls, may also be at increased risk a for a Deficiency.
• 3.5 people worldwide are at risk of calcium insufficiency due to inadequate dietary consumption, according to figures from 2015 that were published.
• Researchers in the UK revealed that calcium shortage is still a widespread problem among people with chronic diseases in 2013
• Researchers in Pakistan found that among 252 female volunteers aged 18 to 51, 41% had calcium and vitamin D deficits, and 78% had symptoms resembling these deficiencies, such as discomfort in the back, legs, and joints.
• In general, women are less likely than men to consume enough calcium through food. Unaware of their low levels, many females.

Complications associated with a calcium shortage include:

• Dental issues
• Depression
• Different skin conditions
• Fractures, seizures, and persistent joint and muscular pain
• Impairment

Prevention and treatment

• Increasing calcium intake is the safest and simplest strategy to treat or prevent a calcium shortage.
• Foods high in calcium include:
• Dairy items like milk, cheese, and yoghurt
• Beans
• Figs
• Broccoli soy milk with tofu
• Cereals enriched with spinach
• Almonds and sesame seeds are among the nuts and seeds.

Calcium Deficiency Symptoms : FAQs

Q1. What occurs when your body lacks calcium?

Ans. Low calcium levels in the blood are referred to as hypocalcemia or calcium deficiency illness. Long-term calcium insufficiency can result in brittle bones, osteoporosis, cataracts, abnormalities in the brain, and dental and cognitive problems. There may be no early signs of a calcium shortage.

Q2. What calcium-rich food is the best?

Ans. Good sources include fruits, leafy greens, beans, nuts, and some starchy vegetables.

• Cheese.
• Yogurt.
• orange juice enriched with calcium.
• winter squash.
• Young, green soybeans known as edamame; tofu prepared with calcium sulphate.
• Sardines, salmon (with bones), and almonds in a can.
• slender leaves (collard, mustard, turnip, kale, bok choy, spinach)

Q3. Who is most at risk of not getting enough calcium?

Ans. Dairy products are rich sources of calcium, thus individuals who cannot consume them due to lactose intolerance, milk allergies, or other reasons (including vegans) are at a higher risk of not getting enough of it.

Q4. When does calcium become most crucial?

Ans. The age range between which the body needs the most calcium, from 9 to 18 years of age, is when this demand is greatest. The strength of your bones may be impacted later in life if you don't receive enough calcium now.