Renowned for its role in bone and muscle health, calcium also plays an important part in nervous system function and may help regulate mood. If you aren't getting enough dietary calcium and suffer from mood swings, depression, PMS or anxiety, ask your doctor whether calcium supplements might be a good option for you.
Calcium's Role in the Body
Calcium is an essential structural element of bones and teeth. It provides the means for electrical impulses to be transmitted through the nerves and stabilizes the activity of a number of proteins and enzymes. The parathyroid gland regulates and balances the way the body absorbs and excretes calcium to keep blood calcium levels steady. If dietary calcium is insufficient, the parathyroid triggers the skeleton to release calcium into the blood. Unfortunately, this can weaken the bones. Calcium deficiency can cause a host of physical symptoms, including muscle weakness and fatigue, which may feel psychological but are physiological in origin.
Calcium and Mood
Although more studies need to be conducted on the relationship between calcium and mood, there is evidence that calcium supplements can have a beneficial effect. A 1994 study published in the "Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine" gave 123 healthy student subjects either a placebo or 2,000 mg of calcium daily, taken in two separate doses. The students' moods were measured before, during and after the study using the Beck Depression Inventory, a commonly used instrument for measuring symptoms of depression. The students taking the calcium reported significantly higher moods than those given the placebo.
Calcium and PMS
A 1998 Columbia University study of 466 women showed moderate calcium supplements to be effective in treating symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, or PMS. After the women were treated with calcium over the course of three menstrual cycles, symptoms ranging from mood swings and depression to breast tenderness and cramps improved each month. If you are a woman who experiences low or unstable moods in the premenstrual stage of your cycle, speak with your doctor about trying calcium supplements.
Getting Enough Calcium
Most healthy adults should choose a supplement containing around 1,000 mg of calcium carbonate or calcium citrate and 15 mcg of vitamin D to help with absorption. Calcium citrate is the most easily tolerated type of calcium compound. Calcium carbonate is more commonly available but requires more stomach acid to digest, so it should be taken with a meal. Children, pregnant women and the elderly may have different needs, so check with your doctor about the right dose for you. Eating calcium-rich foods is still the best way to increase your calcium levels. Choose dairy products, dark, leafy greens and bone-in fish such as sardines.
References
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center; Calcium; Jane Higdon; 2003
- National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service; Hyperparathyroidism; 2006
- Arizona Cooperative Extension; Calcium Supplement Guidelines; Linda Houtkooper et al.; 2011
- "American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology"; Calcium Carbonate and the Premenstrual Syndrome; Susan Thys-Jacobs et al.; August 1998
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center; Vitamin D; Jane Higdon; 2004
- "Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine"; A Beneficial Effect of Calcium Intake on Mood; Kamyar Arasteh; 1994
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