Lack of calcium in the body, also called hypocalcaemia, usually doesn’t cause symptoms in the early stages, however, as the condition worsens, various signs and symptoms, such as bone weakness, dental problems, or heart palpitations, may begin to appear.with a lack of calcium, diseases such as osteopenia, osteoporosis or rickets, for example, may also begin to appear.
Calcium is a fundamental mineral for the proper functioning of the body, mainly for the functioning of the nervous system and bone health, and is present in various foods such as yogurt, milk, cheese, spinach, tofu and broccoli, which must be consumed daily to maintain an adequate amount of calcium in the body.
Symptoms related to this nutrient deficiency in the body are
Diagnosis of calcium lack in the body is made by a conventional blood test, however, to know if the bones are fragile, it is necessary to perform a test called osteodensitometry, see how osteodensitometry is performed.
The main causes of lack of calcium in the body are low intake of foods rich in this mineral, hormonal changes and hypoparathyroidism; However, some situations that affect nutrient absorption may also include calcium deficiency, such as pancreatitis and certain genetic syndromes.
In addition, the lack of vitamin D can also lead to calcium deficiency, since this vitamin is essential for the absorption of calcium from the intestine. Some medications such as amiloride, for example, which is a diuretic used in high blood pressure, may also have a lack of calcium as a side effect.
To increase the absorption of calcium in the gut and its use by the body, in addition to increasing the consumption of foods rich in this nutrient, the consumption of vitamin D, present in foods such as fish, milk and eggs, should also be increased.See some examples of calcium-rich foods and vitamin D-rich foods.
In addition, to increase vitamin D concentrations in the body, it is also recommended to increase the time of skin exposure to the sun without sunscreen, however, it is advisable to do it 15 minutes a day, to avoid serious complications, such as the skin.Cancer.
Frequent physical activity also increases calcium absorption and fixation in bones, and it is important to be careful with certain medications that can decrease calcium absorption, such as antibiotics (fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines)., diuretics (hydrochlorothiazide and furosemide) and antacids containing aluminium.
In case of proven calcium deficiency, where diet and prior care are not sufficient, your doctor may prescribe the use of supplements in calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate or calcium citrate capsules.Learn more about calcium supplements.