Your bones are constantly being broken down and rebuilt. Sometimes this process can become imbalanced, resulting in the development of small bony outgrowths on the edges of your bones known as bone spurs. Calcium levels in your body may affect your risk of developing bone spurs, but the relationship between calcium levels and bone spurs is complex.
What Are Bone Spurs?
Bone spurs, also known as osteophytes, are small bony projections that develop on the outsides of bones. Bone spurs typically occur where two bones meet in a joint, though they can also form in areas where tendons and ligaments joint to a bone. Bone spurs often do not cause any symptoms but they can cause joint pain. They may also pinch on nerves, resulting in pain, tingling or weakness in the parts of the body serviced by the nerve. Most bone spurs are the result of an underlying disorder, such as osteoarthritis.
Calcium and Bone Spurs
The amount of calcium in your body affects your likelihood of developing bone spurs due to conditions such as osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis and the development of bone spurs is associated with increased density of your bones. The more calcium in your body, the higher the density of your bones. Thus, having low calcium levels can actually help you prevent osteoarthritis. Low calcium levels are associated with another bone condition, osteoporosis, which causes your bones to become weak and easily fractured.
Calcium and Weight
Although lower calcium levels can help prevent the high bone density associated with osteoarthritis, low calcium levels may paradoxically increase your risk of developing osteoarthritis. Low calcium levels are associated with increased weight and can also make it harder for you to lose weight. Being overweight increases your risk of developing osteoarthritis because it puts more stress on your bones; this extra stress causes your bones to become denser and can lead to the formation of bone spurs.
Considerations
If you have joint pain or other symptoms of bone spurs, talk to your doctor. Bone spurs can be diagnosed using an X-ray or other imaging techniques. Your doctor can explain to you the different treatment options available for bone spurs. Do not attempt to treat your bone spur levels by changing your calcium intake, as changes in the amount of calcium in your body can have wide-ranging effects on many different tissues.
