Silent Calcium Deficiency Symptoms and Signs Revealed

It has been taught to us from very early that calcium is an important component responsible for maintaining our health. Our bone and teeth health is dependent on this one mineral. Not only this but our muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and the release of hormones and enzymes are all affected by the calcium levels in our body. Even though we are aware of its necessity, frequently we overlook the calcium levels in our body which may end up causing a lot of health issues in the long run. 

Low calcium levels in the body (also called hypocalcemia in extreme cases) are common, still, we often tend to overlook the telltale calcium deficiency symptoms and signs. This article is meant to help you understand more about how to identify calcium deficiency and fulfill its deficiency with calcium tablets so that you can avoid any long-term health concerns. 

Causes of Calcium Deficiency 

Calcium deficiency is prevalent and can be caused in people due to several reasons. These reasons have been listed below for your reference:

1. Low calcium intake over a long period, specifically during a person’s childhood
2. Certain medications can cause issues, decrease the rate of calcium absorption in our body, and cause certain calcium deficiency symptoms 
3. Some people can develop dietary intolerance to foods that have high levels of calcium
4. Hormonal changes, especially in women can cause low calcium levels
5. Certain genetic factors in people can also cause this deficiency.

Signs of Calcium Deficiency 

There are a lot of common symptoms of low calcium or hypocalcemia that can present themselves in our body when the calcium levels drop below the required amount. Certain lack of calcium symptoms have been listed below to ensure that you can look out for the signals early on to prevent long-term damage to the body:

1. Fatigue and Tiredness: Fatigue may result from low calcium levels because muscle fibres and neurons need calcium; the decrease in cells signals the onset of weariness, resulting in exhaustion and weakening. 
2. Bad Oral Health: Oral issues like tooth decay and gum disease are some other common and painful low calcium levels symptoms. Certain food items can damage the teeth, however, healthy levels of calcium can help protect your teeth from significant damage. When the calcium levels drop below the required criteria, your body can no longer properly protect your teeth from mineral degradation. 
3. Issues with Cognitive Functions: Since our nerve and brain cells heavily depend on calcium, cognitive issues such as confusion, disorientation, and memory loss are some of the common symptoms of calcium deficiency. Calcium enters nerve cells and boosts neurotransmitter release. Low calcium levels can severely impair cognitive function.
4. Feeling of Numbness and Tingling: Calcium is essential for many aspects of our central nervous system; if we are calcium-deficient, we may notice nerve damage, notably in our appendages (hands, fingers, feet, and toes).
5. Seizures: This is another one of the most common calcium deficiency symptoms as the brain cells require proper calcium levels to produce neurotransmitters, whereas muscles require it to contract. Hypocalcemia can overload the brain, resulting in seizures. This usually occurs in extreme cases of calcium deficiency.
6. Irregular Heartbeat: Calcium is essential for muscle function including the muscles in the heart. Calcium imbalance has been linked to severe ventricular arrhythmias. While it is true that irregular heartbeat is one lack of calcium symptoms, you must consult a doctor as soon as possible if you feel any kind of discomfort in your chest.
7. Osteopenia & Osteoporosis: Low levels of calcium can cause brittle bones in people, also known as osteopenia and osteoporosis. When the amount of calcium in your blood declines, your body must adjust by releasing more calcium from your bones. Over time, a calcium shortage can induce excessive bone weakness and frailty and substantially raise the risk of fractures.
8. Premenstrual Syndrome: This is one of the most common signs of low calcium in women. Though it can happen due to varying numbers of reasons, low levels of calcium and vitamin D in the body have been some of the main identified causes. 

Prevention Methods to Avoid Calcium Deficiency Symptoms 

One of the main ways through which you can avoid calcium deficiency symptoms is by including food items that are high in calcium in your daily diet, such as sardines, salmon, fortified tofu, frozen edamame, and white beans, to name a few. The general recommended levels of calcium intake per day for people are as follows:

1. 2,000 mg per day for men and women that are aged 51 years and up
2. 2,500 mg per day for men and women that fall between the age category of 19 to 50 years of age
3. 200 mg to 1300 mg per day for children aged between 0 to 18 years of age.

Another way through which you can increase the calcium levels in your body and prevent the majority of the calcium deficiency symptoms is through taking multivitamins and supplements. These are usually prescribed by doctors when you are at a high risk of developing this deficiency. Including vitamin D in your diet can also be beneficial in maintaining calcium levels in the body as it helps increase the rate of calcium absorption in your blood. Certain foods that are high in vitamin D are listed below:

1. Fatty fish like salmon and tuna
2. Fortified orange juice and milk
3. Portobello mushrooms
4. Eggs.

Conclusion

Calcium is one of the most essential minerals in the body, however, calcium deficiency is an extremely common problem amongst the masses. Watching out for calcium deficiency symptoms can help you identify the issue at hand early on and fulfill it with the best calcium tablets if needed. Certain issues can be extremely common and might not always seem like symptoms of calcium deficiency, which makes it essential for you to see a doctor if you ever suspect hypocalcemia.