Symptoms of Low Calcium You Shouldn’t Ignore
Calcium is an essential mineral that plays a vital role in the human body. It is found in bones and teeth, which helps to keep them strong and healthy. Calcium also helps muscles to move, blood to clot, and nerves to send messages throughout the body. In addition, it is necessary for many other bodily functions, such as hormone production and digestion.
Getting enough calcium from food sources or supplements is important for maintaining good health.
Dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt are great sources of calcium, as are green leafy vegetables like kale and okra. Other sources include nuts, beans, fish with edible bones (like sardines), fortified foods (such as breakfast cereals), and fruit juices.
Low calcium levels in the blood, also known as hypocalcemia, can be a serious health concern if left untreated. It’s important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of calcium deficiencies, so you can take action if needed.
Symptoms of Low Calcium
The most common symptom of low calcium is muscle cramps and spasms. These can range from mild twitches to more severe contractions that cause pain and discomfort. You may experience aches in your legs and arms when walking.
Another common symptom associated with low calcium levels is tingling and numbness in your hands, feet, and around the mouth. You may also feel confused, dizzy, weak, or lethargic. Other signs of low calcium can are:
- a slower heartbeat
- difficulty sleeping
- brain fog (lack of focus)
- forgetfulness
- brittle nails
- dry or itchy skin
- brittle teeth
- tooth decay
If left untreated, low calcium can lead to serious complications such as hallucinations, seizures, heart arrhythmia, and osteoporosis. Therefore, If you experience any of these symptoms for an extended period of time, it’s important to speak with your doctor about getting tested for low calcium levels.
How Do You Treat Low Calcium?
Low calcium levels in the body can be treated with dietary and lifestyle changes as well as oral or intravenous supplements.
Dietary changes
Dietary changes include increasing your intake of foods rich in calcium like dairy products, leafy greens like kale and collard greens, fish with edible soft bones, tofu, legumes such as chickpeas and navy beans, nuts and seeds such as almonds, sesame seeds, and tahini butter.
Additionally, adding vitamin D to your diet is important for calcium absorption. You can do this by consuming fortified milk products, fatty fish (such as salmon), eggs, or taking vitamin D supplements.
Lifestyle changes
Lifestyle changes may also be necessary to treat low calcium levels. These include:
- Avoiding caffeine which interferes with calcium absorption.
- Limiting alcohol consumption which reduces the absorption of dietary calcium from the intestines.
- Reducing sodium intake to avoid increased excretion of calcium in the urine.
- Quitting smoking since cigarette smoke has been linked to osteoporosis.
- Ensuring adequate amounts of physical activity since exercise stimulates bone formation.
Oral supplements
Oral supplements may also be needed to raise low calcium levels depending on the severity of the deficiency. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that a majority of older women and nearly half of the adults in the US take calcium supplements which can boost their daily intake by 300mg, on average.
Calcium carbonate is one type of supplement that is commonly used due to its high percentage of elemental calcium (40%). It is best taken with meals since it requires an acidic environment in order to be absorbed properly by the body’s digestive system.
Calcium citrate is another common supplemental form that contains 21% elemental calcium but has better bioavailability than other forms. It does not need to be taken alongside meals for proper absorption.
In cases where a patient’s symptoms are severe and/or not responding to dietary or lifestyle changes or oral supplementation alone, intravenous supplementation may be necessary.
This involves introducing an intravenous solution containing either elemental calcium gluconate or calcium chloride directly into the bloodstream; usually, this form of treatment is administered in hospital settings when other treatments fail.
The bottom line
If you’re experiencing any symptoms related to low calcium, it’s important not to ignore them, as they could indicate a more serious underlying condition that needs medical attention. Speak with your doctor about getting tested for low calcium levels so you can get the treatment you need before it becomes a bigger issue down the line.
