Normal levels of both calcium and vitamin D are needed for strong bones and teeth. Although the sources of calcium and vitamin D differ, your body regulates the levels of this mineral and vitamin, respectively, though a shared mechanism. Because of this link, high intake of vitamin D can lead to high calcium, and ultimately high urinary calcium.
Vitamin D Regulates Calcium Levels
The body keeps tight control of how much calcium is present in the blood at any one time. If calcium levels are low, the body produces parathyroid hormone, or PTH. PTH directs the activation of vitamin D, which induces the intestines to absorb more calcium, the bones to release calcium in the blood stream, and the kidneys to reabsorb more calcium, which would otherwise be excreted in the urine. Therefore, too much vitamin D in the body can ultimately cause elevated levels of calcium in the urine.
High Vitamin D Leads to High Calcium
While some vitamin D is essential for a healthy body, too much can be toxic. One result of the toxicity is its effect on the level of calcium in the blood; thus it is important not to get too much vitamin D. The upper limit of vitamin D that is considered safe varies according to age, according to New York University Langone Medical Center. People over 9 years of age should not get more than 4,000 IU of vitamin D per day.
Signs and Symptoms of Calcium Toxicity
If you have high calcium in the urine, you may be experiencing signs and symptoms of calcium toxicity. These include nausea, vomiting and appetite loss, constipation, pain in the abdomen, dry mouth, increased thirst and frequent urination. If calcium levels become severely high, the result may be coma, delirium or even death. As your kidneys try to excrete the excess calcium in the urine, your risk of developing calcium kidney stones also increases.
Testing Calcium in the Urine
To determine the amount of calcium in your urine, your doctor will generally want a urine sample over a 24-hour period. You will first urinate into a special container after waking up in the morning, and then collect all urine for the rest of the day in the same container. The last sample collected will be after waking on the second day. Your doctor will then send the sample to a lab for analysis. Levels of calcium over 300 mg per day are considered high.
Member Comments