Calcium is renowned for its role in building and maintaining strong bones and muscle function. Recent evidence shows that calcium supplementation may also be effective against some types of anxiety disorder. This is good news for many anxiety sufferers who might like to treat their symptoms without the use of psychopharmaceuticals.
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders are described as a state of arousal, fear or uncertainty out of proportion to any actual threat. Such disorders are usually caused by a combination of genetic, physiological and psychological factors. The most common types of anxiety disorder are Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or GAD for short, which is characterized by long-term low-grade restlessness, irritability, tension, insomnia and obsessive thinking; and panic disorder, which causes repeated, severe attacks of dizziness, nausea, choking feelings, accelerated heartbeat, chest pain and terror. Any anxiety disorder must be diagnosed and treated by a mental or medical health professional.
Calcium and the Nervous System
Calcium plays an important part in the nervous system by providing the means for electrical impulses to be transmitted through the nerves. Too much or too little calcium in the blood and bones disrupts this function. The parathyroid gland regulates and balances the amount of calcium in the body. However, if the gland malfunctions or the body has too much or too little calcium to work with, you may experience problems. Calcium deficiency can cause symptoms like anxiety, depression and exhaustion, which seem psychological but may actually have a physiological basis.
Calcium, PMS and Anxiety
Studies are inconclusive on calcium as a treatment for most forms of anxiety. However, a 1998 Columbia University study of 466 women suffering from PMS, premenstrual syndrome, shows that moderate calcium supplementation is extremely effective in treating symptoms. After the women were treated with calcium over the course of three menstrual cycles, their PMS symptoms, ranging from anxiety and depression to breast tenderness and cramps, improved each month. If you are a woman whose anxiety is worse during the premenstrual phase of your cycle, moderate calcium supplementation could be very helpful.
Getting More Calcium
If you suspect that your anxiety is due to a calcium deficiency or PMS, or if you would like to try supporting your nervous system with supplemental calcium, add a moderate supplement containing 500 to 600 mg of calcium, 200 to 400 IU of vitamin D and 350 mg magnesium to help increase absorption. Magnesium may also have a calming effect on the nervous system. Many supplements contain up to 1,000 mg of calcium, but it is likely that the body is unable to process more than 600 mg at a time, and more than 1,000 mg a day can cause constipation and problems with iron absorption. Eating calcium-rich foods like dairy products and greens is still the best and most efficient way to increase your calcium levels.
References
- National Institutes of Health; Medline Plus; Calcium
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Anxiety Disorders
- “American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology”; Calcium Carbonate and the Premenstrual Syndrome; Susan Thys-Jacobs et al.; August 1998
- HolisticOnline.com: Anxiety – Vitamins and Supplements
- Harvard Health Publication: What You Need to Know About Calcium
- National Institutes of Health: Magneisum
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