Calcium is an essential nutrient for all living creatures. Humans are no exceptions. About 99% of the calcium in the human body lies in the bones and teeth. Calcium deficiency weakens the bones (osteoporosis may result if a person’s daily intake of calcium is less than 50 mg calcium/100 Kcal) and teeth. Calcium helps in the contraction of muscles in your body. It also has a key role in the clotting of blood. That is why the recommended daily intake of calcium is pegged at 150 mg calcium/100 Kcal. Vitamin D and calcium are closely entwined. Vitamin D is a prohormone that helps your body absorb calcium. It regulates the level of calcium in your blood. If your body does not have enough vitamin D, you are likely to be calcium deficient.
The parathyroid glands work in synchrony with vitamin D and Calcium so as to keep blood calcium levels in normal range. Low level of vitamin D in your body triggers the parathyroid gland to ‘borrow’ calcium from the skeleton to maintain the normal range of blood calcium. This is how bone loses calcium in a Vitamin D deficient state.
Recent studies state vitamin D enables allergic response and protects against prostate, breast, and colorectal cancers, among others. The role of vitamin D is crucial in:
- Lung Function Support
- Good Cardiovascular health
- Glucose Metabolism and Insulin Regulation
- Health of the Nervous System, Brain and Immune System
Vitamin D and Calcium
Intake of calcium-rich diets and calcium supplements are rendered substantially redundant in absence of adequate levels of vitamin D that helps absorb the calcium and makes it usefully available to the body.
Vitamin D is the medium through which the body absorbs calcium. Vitamin D is broken down as the hormone calcitriol or “active vitamin D” for absorption of calcium. Insufficient Vitamin D in your body leads to insufficient calcium absorption from the diet.
Sunlight is the best source for Vitamin D. UVB rays of the sun hit cholesterol in your skin cells to produce energy for formation of Vitamin D. Unlike other vitamins, Vitamin D is thus produced in the human body.
Vitamin D is absent in other natural foods except fish, egg yolk, and a few others. It needs essential transformation in the body before it becomes useful. The transformation starts in the liver and thereafter the kidneys, before the vitamin is ready to perform its useful function. Whether sourced from sunlight, food, or supplements, the journey of vitamin D through your body for acquiring its usefulness remains unchanged.
In the absence of the required level of vitamin D, your intestines fail to absorb calcium efficiently. Calcium being critical for neuromuscular and cardiac functions, your body mobilises calcium from your bones using your parathyroid hormone. This helps maintain a normal level of calcium in your blood. Your heart and nerves continue their normal function while your bone calcium density falls, rendering them weak and fracture-prone.
How Much Vitamin D and Calcium Do You Need?
The requirements of Vitamin D and calcium for your body changes with age. Medical conditions also bring about changes in the levels of requirement.
Recommended calcium intake varies from 200 mg/day for infants to about 1300 mg/day between ages 18 – 30, tapering to 1000 mg/day above 30. It increases to 1200 mg/day at 70 years and above.
The average daily requirement for vitamin D is recommended as 10 micrograms from birth to 12 months as 15 mcg from 1 to 70 years and 20 mcg thereafter.
Causes for Vitamin D and Calcium Deficiency
Vitamin D and calcium deficiencies are common. A few causes for this problem are stated below:
- If you are mostly indoors, ailing from kidney ailments, crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, or your body is otherwise unable to absorb fat, you are likely to be deficient in vitamin D.
- Apart from insufficient absorption due lack of vitamin D, calcium deficiency arises from dietary factors, health issues, or medical conditions. Hypoparathyroidism occurs when your body does not produce enough parathyroid hormone (PTH) that controls calcium levels in the blood, causing calcium deficiency disease (hypocalcemia). Hypoalbuminemia (most common), cirrhosis, nephrosis, malnutrition, burns, chronic illness, and sepsis are typical causes of hypocalcemia.
Symptoms and of Vitamin D and Calcium Deficiency
Common symptoms for these deficiencies are:
- Persistent pain in your bones
- Fatigue
- Frequent muscle pain
- Muscle cramps
- Muscle weakness
- Sudden mood swings
- Depression
Diagnosis of Vitamin D and Calcium Deficiency
Your doctor may advise a 25-hydroxyvitamin D blood test that measures the level of vitamin D in your blood.
Calcium deficiency is measured through a blood test known as serum calcium. This measures the amount of calcium in your blood. The test is usually prescribed for screening or monitoring bone diseases or calcium-regulation problems, which are the diseases of the parathyroid gland or kidneys.
Treating Vitamin D and Calcium Deficiency
Consuming more foods that contain Vitamin D – e.g. fish (with fat), red meat, liver, cheese, egg yolk, fortified drinks, yoghurt, etc. are recommended. Exposure to sunlight for about 15 – 20 minutes a day when UVB rays are predominant in your region, for about 3 – 4 days a week, reduces vitamin D deficiency. There are vitamin D supplements available too.
Vitamin D has two forms – D2 and D3. D2 or ergocalciferol, comes from plants. D3 or cholecalciferol, has an animal origin. Between the two, D3 is easily absorbed and has a longer lasting effect.
Calcium is mostly available from the diet you consume. Food enriched with calcium includes reduced-fat or skim milk, low-fat plain or fruit yoghurt, swiss cheese, calcium-fortified juice, calcium-fortified cereal, tofu, etc. Oral calcium tablets are also commonly available.
Vitamin D with Calcium
The limited exposure to sources of Vitamin D makes it difficult to consume the daily required percentage. The supplements of Vitamin D with calcium have provided an answer. There are several OTC products like calcium and Vitamin D3 tablets, calcium and Vitamin D tablets with magnesium and zinc as extras are also available. These aim to ensure stronger bones, improved heart health, better muscles and nerve health, and help in absorption of calcium and phosphorus. Taken under medical advice, these are the best calcium and Vitamin D supplements for you.
Conclusion
Vitamin D and calcium are necessary in tandem to give you healthy bones and muscles, sound heart, and nervous system. The combination of Vitamin D and calcium supplements are available to ensure that your requirements for Vitamin D and calcium are always met.
