The most abundant mineral in your body is calcium and 99 percent of it resides in your bones. The remainder is used as an electrolyte, or electrically charged particle, used in your blood, tissues and cells. Calcium is tightly regulated by different systems in your body to sustain normal nerve and muscle functions as well as skeletal health. Consistent lack of calcium increases your risk of an electrolyte imbalance, or hypocalcemia, and destruction of bone mass, or osteoporosis.
Low Blood Calcium and Osteopenia
The 1 percent of calcium not used in bone is filtered by your kidneys and distributed to the cells where it works with other electrolytes to balance your bodily fluids and send electrical signals from nerves to cells. Low blood calcium can result from poor kidney functions or abnormal parathyroid gland functioning. When your body senses that blood calcium levels are too low, it demineralizes bone, or takes the calcium it needs from your bones to replace it in your bloodstream. Overtime the condition osteopenia, the precursor to osteoporosis, can develop. Early detection and treatment of osteopenia can prevent full osteoporosis.
Hypocalcemia
Deficient levels of vitamin D, which is necessary in adequate levels to prompt your body to absorb calcium, can cause low calcium levels in the bloodstream, or hypocalcemia. A lack of magnesium in your diet or too much phosphorus in your diet can also cause a deficiency of calcium. Chronic hypocalcemia may not present with symptoms but complications from lack of calcium include heart failure, low blood pressure and skin hyperpigmentation, notes the Cleveland Clinic. Acute, sudden drops in blood calcium can cause numbness or tingling in your extremities, muscle spasms or twitching, confusion or disorientation and cardiac arrhythmia.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis occurs when bones become fragile and weak, most notably from poor calcium intake but other factors include sedentary lifestyle, poor dietary habits, genetics and aging. Chronic calcium deficiency that can begin in youth plays a significant role in the later development of osteoporosis, notes the Mayo Clinic. Bone is strongest as you age into young adulthood. After the age of 30, bone mass slowly declines. You need to consistently consume adequate calcium throughout your life to build strong bones and maintain them as you age. Complications of osteoporosis include serious fractures of the primary support bones of your skeletal system like the hips or spine and stooped posture.
Prevention
Consuming the daily recommended allowance of calcium for your age group is the best defense against deficiency disorders. Adults between the ages of 19 to 50 are recommended to get 1,000 milligrams per day and those over the age of 50 need 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams per day. Dairy is a plentiful source of calcium but the mineral is also found in leafy green vegetables like kale, spinach or broccoli, and nuts, beans and fish. Vitamin D is also essential for making sure your body properly absorbs calcium; you need 600 IU of vitamin D per day.
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