Did you know that calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body? An adult person can accumulate up to 2% of their weight. Although most of it is in the bones and teeth, it is also found in tissues, blood plasma, the brain and cells.
What is calcium and why do we need it?
This mineral is not only essential for maintaining bone health, but also performs many other vital functions that contribute to the proper functioning of the body.
It plays an important role in muscle contraction, blood clotting, heartbeats and nervous system health. Calcium, for example, plays an important role in enabling our neurons to produce nerve impulses across their membranes.
What are its health benefits?
Bone health
Bones are constantly producing new bone and breaking down old bone, and they need calcium to grow and develop. This is one of the reasons why eating calcium-rich foods is important for children (and adults too) to avoid diseases like rickets.
Peak bone mass is reached from the age of 30, which means that the body has reached optimal levels of bone tissue. From this age onwards, the body slowly loses bone mass.
Muscle and cardiovascular health
The heart is a muscle that needs calcium to expand and contract, just like the other muscles in the body.
If you suffer from a calcium deficiency, you may not be able to move easily as your muscles will not function properly. You may also experience muscle cramps and twitching of your facial muscles.
Brain health
As we age, we sometimes tend to forget things and this may be because calcium levels in brain cells are not regulated correctly and cause neurons to not function properly. There is evidence to suggest that this process may make the brain unable to store knowledge correctly.
Diabetes
A study has shown that there is also a link between calcium intake and diabetes, as it can help the body metabolize glucose, which is essential for it to reach the cells and provide energy. This works together with the right amount of vitamin D. It is also possible that the right amount of calcium in the body can benefit people with prediabetes, which occurs before the onset of the disease.
What happens when there are alterations in the quantity of this nutrient?
As with many other nutrients, calcium levels in your body can cause health problems if they are too high or too low. Below you can find the main alterations and symptoms.
When there is a deficit
The main problem caused by calcium deficiency, whether due to a genetic condition or a low intake, is osteoporosis. This leads to more fragile bones and, therefore, a greater risk of fractures.
Insufficient calcium intake also leads to periodontal disease and can lead to neuromuscular problems such as muscle weakness, cramps and seizures. Insufficient calcium intake is also associated with increased blood pressure.
When there is excess
Excess calcium or hypercalcemia can produce many different symptoms. For example, symptoms such as constipation, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, muscle weakness, apathy, depression, irritability, confusion, bone pain, increased urination, etc. could indicate that there is too much calcium in the blood.
There are some alterations that could also cause it, such as hyperparathyroidism, hyperthyroidism or kidney failure, among others.
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