Signs of calcium deficiency or poisoning

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Calcium is an essential mineral for healthy bones and teeth. In addition, calcium also plays a key role in the body's metabolism, heart rate regulation and muscle movement. So, to perform these vital functions, the body has to work to keep a steady amount of calcium in the blood and tissues. Calcium deficiency or excess calcium both seriously affect the health of the patient.

1. What is calcium?

Calcium is an important mineral with a key role in bone health in the body. In addition, calcium in the ion form is also a substance that functions in terms of conducting electrical signals, helping to maintain heart rhythm and muscle movement.
Because of the above health benefits, calcium is one of the best-selling added vitamins and minerals in functional foods.

2. Health Benefits of Calcium

Calcium is the "key gateway" to grow new bone tissue and keep bones strong. Calcium supplements are a key ingredient in the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis, a disease that makes bones weak and fragile, common in women after menopause.
In addition, calcium has many other uses, because it is an ingredient in many antacids. Doctors also use calcium to control excessively high levels of magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium in the blood. There is strong evidence that calcium can help prevent or control high blood pressure. At the same time, there is some data to suggest that calcium may also play a role in preventing certain cancers. For example, some studies suggest that calcium, when combined with vitamin D, may help protect premenopausal women from breast cancer. In addition, calcium has also been studied as a weight loss aid, although this result has only been found in a small number of studies.
People with low calcium levels in the body, especially post-menopausal women, should be actively supplemented with calcium. Accordingly, dairy products are one of the most common sources of calcium, people who are lactose intolerant or vegan may also be at risk of calcium deficiency by not getting enough calcium needed during the day.

3. Essential calcium dosage

Many guidelines have been put in place to recommend a daily tolerable calcium standard in the usual diet. This is the recommended natural source of calcium to help keep bones healthy. However, depending on the individual, doctors may recommend a higher dose of calcium supplements.
Accordingly, the acceptable intake levels for calcium supplements by age are as follows:
Infants 0-6 months: 1,000 mg/day Infants 7-12 months: 1,500 mg/day Children 1 -8 years old: 2,500 mg/day Children/adolescents 9-18 years old: 3,000 mg/day Adults 19-50 years old: 2,500 mg/day Adults over 51 years old: 2,000 mg/day Women who are pregnant or nursing Breastfeeding is a subject of active calcium supplementation, but calcium intake should not exceed the recommendations above.
It is best to supplement from calcium-rich foods. For better absorption, it is not recommended to take more than 500 milligrams of calcium at one time, instead you should split the dose throughout the day. In order for your body to properly use calcium, you also need to get enough vitamin D and magnesium.

4. Signs of calcium deficiency

Blood calcium levels are tightly regulated, then the bones will release calcium into the blood if the diet is not enough, so the patient often has no symptoms. However, when the calcium deficiency becomes more severe, the person will fall into a state of hypocalcemia. This can be the result of medical conditions such as kidney failure, gastrointestinal surgery such as gastrectomy, or medications such as diuretics that interfere with calcium absorption.
Accordingly, the symptoms of calcium deficiency causing hypocalcemia manifest as follows:
Muscle cramps or weakness Numbness or tingling in the fingers Irregular heartbeat Anorexia The calcium deficiency will start slowly and then increase Over time, it can happen in people who don't get enough calcium in their diets and for a long time or who have lost the ability to absorb calcium. The first stage of bone loss is called osteoporosis, which, if left untreated, can lead to osteoporosis. Specific examples of people at risk include:
Postmenopausal women: Menopause reduces the amount of estrogen in the body, a hormone that helps increase calcium absorption and retain minerals in the bones. Sometimes your doctor may prescribe hormone replacement therapy with synthetic estrogen and progesterone to prevent osteoporosis. Amenorrhea: Early cessation or interruption of menstruation is common in young women with anorexia nervosa or athletes who exercise to a great extent. Milk allergy or lactose intolerance: Occurs when the body cannot digest the sugars in milk, lactose, or the proteins in milk, casein, or whey. Lactose intolerance can be hereditary or acquired (long-term lack of lactose can decrease the effectiveness of the lactase enzyme).

5. Signs of calcium poisoning

When there is too much calcium in the blood it is called hypercalcemia. The upper limit for calcium is 2,500 mg per day from foods and supplements. People over 50 should not take more than 2,000 mg per day, especially from calcium supplements. This is because it can increase the risk of certain diseases such as kidney stones, prostate cancer and constipation. Also, some studies have shown that in some people, calcium can build up in the blood vessels in high doses long term and can cause heart problems. Besides, calcium is also a major mineral that can block the absorption of other minerals like iron and zinc.
Some of the symptoms of hypercalcemia or calcium poisoning are as follows:
Weakness, fatigue Nausea, vomiting Shortness of breath Chest pain Heart palpitations, irregular heartbeat

In a nutshell, the body gets the calcium it needs in two ways. One is from foods or supplements that contain calcium, the other is from calcium-rich tissues in the body. Because calcium is available in many foods such as milk, dairy products, green vegetables, fruits, cereals, etc., a calcium-rich diet is always recommended for everyone. Maintaining a suitable diet both ensures a natural calcium supplement and avoids the risk of calcium poisoning if self-administered overdosage.
The lack or excess of calcium both seriously affect health and increase the risk of diseases. Therefore, to avoid calcium deficiency or poisoning, you should only supplement with appropriate doses as recommended or prescribed by your doctor.
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References: hsph.harvard.edu, webmd.com