Your body's various organs, enzymes and hormones work together to tightly control the levels of all the substances in your body. Regulation of calcium and protein ensures that your body is able to perform various physiological functions correctly. If the levels of calcium and protein in the blood increase, it can disrupt normal functioning.
Physiology of Calcium
The calcium in your blood is regulated by the parathyroid hormone and calcitonin. When the calcium levels in your blood fall, your body triggers the release of parathyroid hormone, which stimulates the bones to release calcium into the bloodstream. In normal circumstances, the production of parathyroid hormone will decrease when calcium levels return to normal. If calcium levels get too high, the thyroid produces calcitonin, which slows the release of calcium from the bones. High blood calcium levels, or hypercalcemia, occurs when one of these processes is disrupted.
Hypercalcemia
One of the main causes of hypercalcemia is hyperparathyroidism, which is characterized by overactivity of the parathyroid glands. Other possible causes include certain types of cancer, inflammatory diseases, certain medications, calcium supplementation, vitamin D supplementation and dehydration, according to MayoClinic.com. Symptoms of hypercalcemia vary among individuals but generally include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, excessive thirst, frequent urination, abdominal pain, muscle weakness, confusion, constipation and lethargy.
Physiology of Protein
Proteins provide the structural backbone of most of the organs in your body. Proteins are also important for proper growth and development and the creation of various enzymes and hormones that help regulate various body functions. Normally your blood contains small amounts of proteins called albumin and globulin. Albumin carries different substances throughout the blood and keeps fluid from leaking out of your blood vessels. Enzymes, antibodies and other proteins are classified as globulin proteins.
High Blood Protein
When the protein in your blood is too high, it can indicate the presence of an underlying medical condition. It is important to note that high-protein diets do not result in high blood protein. Medical conditions that can cause high blood protein include HIV/AIDs, myeloma, amyloidosis and immune system disorders. If you experience nausea, decreased appetite, unexplained weight loss, fatigue and chronic fever, it may indicate that you have high levels of protein in your blood.
Diagnosis
A blood sample can detect high blood calcium and high blood protein. Because both conditions may not cause symptoms right away, they often go undiagnosed until you go to the doctor for a routine blood test. Once high calcium or high blood protein levels have been diagnosed, a doctor will do further testing to determine the cause of the elevated levels. Once the cause has been identified, treatment will focus on correcting the underlying condition.
