Calcium, that important mineral you may think of in connection with foods like milk or cheese, is vital for good health. In addition to its well-known role as part of the structure in bones and teeth, calcium affects the functions of your blood vessels, nerves and hormones. Calcium can even affect your moods; calcium levels that are too high or too low can cause psychiatric symptoms, including depression.
Hypocalcemia
Hypocalcemia, the medical term for low calcium, results from loss of calcium in the blood supply or from not getting enough calcium into the bloodstream. Loss of calcium can result from a malfunctioning parathyroid gland, vitamin D deficiency or a disruption in magnesium levels in the blood. Calcium can be lost from the circulation in pancreatitis and renal failure, especially if your phosphate levels are too high. Cancer, severe infections, surgery and chemotherapy can also disrupt your calcium metabolism and cause serum calcium levels to fall.
Low Calcium and Depression
If your calcium is too low, you can develop a number of symptoms, both physical and mental. Numbness, muscle pains and stiffness can be signs of calcium deficiency. Mental symptoms include seizures, dementia, anxiety and depression. The July 2011 “Journal of the American College of Surgeons” reported a study on patients who had parathyroid disease, the most common cause of hypocalcemia. Patients who had lower serum calcium levels – less than 11.2mg/dL – were more likely to have symptoms of depression, bone or joint pain and constipation.
Depression and Calcium Levels
Depression can actually be a symptom of high calcium levels as well as a symptom of hypocalcemia. According to an article in the December 1999 issue of “Psychosomatics,” disorders of the parathyroid glands, which control calcium blood levels, frequently result in psychiatric symptoms. The authors note that some studies have shown as many as half of patients with parathyroid symptoms have psychiatric complaints, including anxiety, lethargy, depression and even coma.
Calcium Supplements
If you have low calcium and symptoms of depression, treatment may include calcium supplements and vitamin D supplements as well as psychiatric medications such as antidepressants. In at least one case reported in the 1995 issue of “Psychosomatic Medicine,” the patient was receiving supplements as well as medication, and the medication was not effective unless the serum calcium and magnesium levels were in the normal range.
Considerations and Warnings
Hypocalcemia can cause depression, and severe depression can lead to thoughts of self-harm or even suicide. You should not try to treat your depression by taking calcium supplements. If you are depressed, consult a health care professional.
References
- “Psychosomatic Medicine”; Calcium, Magnesium, and Psychotic Symptoms in a Girl With Idiopathic Hypoparathyroidism; A.W. Ang, et al.; 1995
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Calcium
- Cleveland Clinic Center for Medical Education; Hypocalcemia; Mario Skugor; January 2009
- “Psychosomatics”; Psychiatric Aspects of Parathyroid Disease; P.J. Velasco, et al.; December 1999
- “Journal of the American College of Surgeons”; Can Biochemical Abnormalities Predict Symptomatology in Patients With Primary Hyperparathyroidism?; A.E. Bargren, et al.; July 2011
