Calcium is one of the most abundant minerals in your body. The majority of calcium is stored in your bones and teeth. While calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth, calcium is also vital for nerve signaling, blood clotting and muscle contraction, especially the heart. Low blood calcium levels can weaken the body and signal underlying causes.
Calcium Levels
Physicians will often ask for a calcium level as part of a complete metabolic panel, a group of blood tests to check electrolyte and mineral levels within the body. The National Institutes of Health explains that a normal blood calcium level ranges between 8.5 and 10.2 mg/dL. Levels that fall below this range are low, a condition known as hypocalcemia.
Hypocalcemia
Low levels of calcium can mean more than just a lack of calcium intake. The most common cause of low calcium intake, according to Lab Tests Online, is a low level of albumin, a protein made within the liver. An underactive parathyroid gland or a genetic resistance to the effects of parathyroid hormone can also cause low blood calcium levels. A decreased level of vitamin D and magnesium levels can also cause low calcium levels as can renal failure, malnutrition and alcoholism.
Complications
Over time, low levels of calcium can lead to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a bone disease common in one out of every five American women over the age of 50, according to the National Institutes of Health. In some cases, low calcium can lead to a loss of bone in the jaw known as osteonecrosis as well as hypertension.
Recommended Daily Calcium Levels
The National Institutes of Health explains that infants between zero to six months should consume 210 mg per day, while infants seven to 12 months should get 270 mg per day. Children one to three years old should get approximately 500 mg per day, and children four to eight years old should consume 800 mg per day. Children nine to 18 years old need 1,300 mg per day. Adolescents and adults need the largest amounts of dietary calcium. Males and females between 19 and 50 need 1,000 mg per day. Males and females 51 and over should consume 1,200 mg per day in order to avoid osteoporosis.
Prevention
Preventing hypocalcemia means including foods that are high in not only calcium but also vitamin D, which is essential for ensuring calcium absorption. Many foods contain the calcium your body needs such as milk, yogurt, cheese and buttermilk. Whole milk is recommended for children under two, but because calcium is not stored in milk fat, you can still get calcium from reduced fat or skim milk. Milk is also fortified with vitamin D, which will help with calcium absorption. Leafy, green vegetables such as kale, mustard greens, turnip greens and broccoli also contain high levels of calcium.
