In rare cases, too much calcium can cause deposits of calcium in your blood. This is called hypercalcemia. Some doctors think that taking calcium supplements can increase your risk of heart disease, but others disagree. At the moment, more research is needed to understand how calcium supplements affect heart health.
Calcium is essential to your overall health. You can get the calcium you need from many different foods, and if necessary, from supplements. Calcium works together with other nutrients such as vitamin D, so it is important keep up a balanced diet. Coral calcium is a type of calcium supplement derived from coral sand deposits. This article tells you everything you need to know about coral calcium. Your body contains 1. Most of it, 99 percent, is in your bones and teeth.
The kind of calcium in your bones and teeth is…. Here are the 10 best calcium supplements for Calcium has many benefits, but most people aren't getting enough of this mineral.
Here is a list of 15 foods that are rich in calcium, many of which…. If you have low iron levels or have been diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia, try these drinks high in iron to boost your intake of this essential…. Your body needs both manganese and magnesium to work properly, but they perform distinct functions in your body. Here's all you need to know about…. Magnesium deficiency, also known as hypomagnesemia, is an often overlooked health problem. This article lists 7 symptoms of magnesium deficiency.
Phosphorus is the second most plentiful mineral in your body. Your body needs phosphorus for many functions, such as filtering waste and repairing…. Iodine is an essential mineral that supports the proper function of your thyroid gland.
Here are the 10 best iodine supplements for Over time, having too little calcium can cause osteopenia, a reduction of mineral density in the bones. This can lead to osteoporosis, which causes the bones to thin and become vulnerable to fractures , as well as pain and problems with posture. It can take takes years for osteoporosis and other complications of a calcium deficiency to develop.
Low calcium levels have been linked to severe premenstrual syndrome PMS. Participants in one study reported improved mood and reduced rates of fluid retention after taking milligrams mg of calcium daily for 2 months.
In , researchers concluded that low levels of vitamin D and calcium during the second half of the menstrual cycle might contribute to symptoms of PMS. The team proposed that supplements may help relieve the symptoms. When the body lacks calcium, it pulls it from sources such as the teeth.
This can lead to dental problems, including:. Some evidence suggests that calcium deficiency may be linked with mood disorders, including depression , though confirming this will require further research. Anyone who suspects that a calcium deficiency is contributing to symptoms of depression should consult a doctor. Anyone experiencing symptoms of a calcium deficiency should speak with a doctor.
They can order tests and check the levels of calcium in the blood. Doctors define hypocalcemia, or a calcium deficiency, as blood calcium concentrations of below 8. The recommended dietary allowance of calcium for adults aged 19—50 is 1, mg. Older adults need more, however: Females aged at least 51 and males aged at least 71 should be consuming 1, mg of calcium per day. While health experts have yet to establish exactly how common this deficiency is, groups with a higher risk include :.
In the United States, females older than 4 years, and especially adolescent females, and males aged 9—18 years or older than 51 years may also have a higher risk of a deficiency. According to estimates published in , 3. Meanwhile, in , researchers in the United Kingdom reported that calcium deficiency is still common among people with chronic illnesses. Overall, females are less likely to get enough calcium from their diets than males.
Many females have low levels without knowing it. The safest and easiest way to treat or prevent a calcium deficiency is to add more calcium to the diet.
Learn more about vegan dietary sources of calcium. Before taking calcium supplements, talk to a doctor. The amount of calcium of the supplements ranged from , mg daily. However, randomized controlled trials using calcium supplements, with our without vitamin D, have shown mixed results.
One reason may be a fairly short duration. Due to higher cost and difficulty with continued compliance from participants, clinical trials tend to be shorter in duration than epidemiological studies. But colorectal cancer can take years or longer to develop, during which these trials might not reflect any changes in the colon. After a review of both cohort and clinical studies by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research, they reported strong evidence that calcium supplements of more than mg daily and intake of high-calcium dairy foods will likely decrease the risk of colorectal cancer.
Certain bacteria in dairy foods may also be protective against the development of cancerous cells in the colon. At one time, experts recommended that people with kidney stones limit their calcium intake because the mineral makes up one of the most common types of stones, called calcium-oxalate stones.
What we know now is the reverse—that not eating enough calcium-rich foods can increase the risk of stone formation. However the same effect is not true with supplements, as calcium in pill form was found to increase risk. A benefit of calcium-rich foods mainly from dairy on the prevention of kidney stones was found in a cohort of 45, men.
Intakes of skim or low-fat milk and cottage cheese or ricotta cheese showed the greatest protective effect. It is believed that calcium-rich foods reduce the formation of stones by lowering the absorption of oxalates, which make up calcium-oxalate stones. However, other undetermined components of dairy foods may also be responsible for the decreased risk.
Fruits, leafy greens, beans, nuts, and some starchy vegetables are good sources. Plant foods like leafy greens contain less calcium overall but have a higher bioavailability than dairy. Therefore, eating 1 cup of cooked bok choy has almost as much bioavailable calcium as 1 cup of milk.
This may be useful information for those who cannot eat dairy foods or who follow a vegan diet. The takeaway message is not to avoid spinach, which contains other valuable nutrients, but not to rely on spinach as a significant source of calcium since most of it will not be absorbed by the body. If you are scanning food labels to reach a specific amount of daily calcium, continue to aim for the RDAs set for your age group and gender. The RDAs are established with an understanding of calcium bioavailability in food.
Also keep in mind that the exact amount of calcium absorbed in the body will vary among individuals based on their metabolism and what other foods are eaten at the same meal. In general, eating a variety of calcium-rich foods can help to offset any small losses. Blood levels of calcium are tightly regulated. Bones will release calcium into the blood if the diet does not provide enough, and no symptoms usually occur. A more serious deficiency of calcium, called hypocalcemia, results from diseases such as kidney failure, surgeries of the digestive tract like gastric bypass, or medications like diuretics that interfere with absorption.
A gradual, progressive calcium deficiency can occur in people who do not get enough dietary calcium in the long-term or who lose the ability to absorb calcium. The first early stage of bone loss is called osteopenia and, if untreated, osteoporosis follows. Examples of people at risk include:. After a diagnosis of osteoporosis, your physician may prescribe over-the-counter calcium supplements.
However, there are several points to consider when using calcium supplements. Too much calcium in the blood is called hypercalcemia. The Upper Limit UL for calcium is 2, mg daily from food and supplements.
People over the age of 50 should not take more than 2, mg daily, especially from supplements, as this can increase risk of some conditions like kidney stones, prostate cancer, and constipation.
Some research has shown that in certain people, calcium can accumulate in blood vessels with long-term high doses and cause heart problems. Calcium is also a large mineral that can block the absorption of other minerals like iron and zinc. Certain nutrients and medications may increase your need for calcium because they either lower the absorption of calcium in the gut or cause more calcium to be excreted in the urine.
These include: corticosteroids example: prednisone , excess sodium in the diet, phosphoric acid such as found in dark cola sodas, excess alcohol, and oxalates see Are anti-nutrients harmful?
The contents of this website are for educational purposes and are not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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