Signs & Symptoms of Calcium Deficiency Post Your 40s

Blogs01 Oct 2024

When you think of calcium, it’s natural for your mind to associate it with bone health. While this association makes sense, the importance of having more calcium in our body goes beyond just bone health. Hence a calcium deficiency can hamper more than just your bones. In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of calcium, define calcium deficiency, understand its causes and signs and how to prevent it.

The Importance of Calcium for Health

Calcium is one of the most abundantly found minerals in the human body. Our bones and teeth contain the majority of the calcium in our body. Calcium also aids in the easy flow of movement by keeping our tissues strong and flexible. Furthermore, the presence of an iodized amount of calcium in our blood and other fluids might also help in muscle function, and prevent blood clotting, hormone secretion and nerve transmission.

Did you know that at birth the human body contains 26 to 30 g of calcium? Over the years, this number increases to 1,200 g in adult women and 14,00 g in adult men. However, with the onset of menopause leading to decreased oestrogen levels, and more bone remodelling, menopausal women tend to see a decline in calcium. Additionally, our ability to absorb also decreases from when we are children to when we are older adults. For example, if we were able to absorb 60% of the calcium we consume as infants, this number decreases to nearly 25% in adulthood!

What is Hypocalcemia?

The medical condition for having a calcium deficiency is called Hypocalcemia. It may be caused by several factors and can be treated with professional guidance through supplements and dietary changes. Let’s understand Hypocalcemia some more here.

Causes of Calcium Deficiency

Having low calcium levels may hamper several functions in the body. But why does this deficiency occur? Here are the main causes of calcium deficiency:

• A poor calcium intake since childhood may likely cause a calcium deficiency.
• Genetic factors can sometimes determine your calcium levels.
• Lack of vitamin D, which is essential for calcium absorption, could be another reason why a calcium deficiency occurs.
• Conditions affecting the thyroid and parathyroid glands may cause a decrease in calcium levels.
• Having certain medications can reduce the absorption of calcium in the body.
• As mentioned above, menopause can bring forth a lot of changes in a woman’s body. With a decrease in oestrogen and absorption rates of calcium, menopausal women tend to be deficient in calcium.

Signs and Symptoms of Calcium Deficiency

Calcium deficiency symptoms are subtle at first and only come to your attention when matters are much worse. Here are all the low blood calcium symptoms you should know about:

Negative impact on bone health

Those who suffer from a lifelong calcium deficiency may be highly likely to have osteoporosis in their adulthood or old age.

Fatigue

Extreme tiredness, aches throughout the body etc can be identified as fatigue.

Poor oral health

Since your teeth are made up of calcium and need it to stay strong and healthy, a deficiency in calcium will lead to decay and loose teeth.

Muscle pain

Calcium is a necessary mineral for aiding smooth muscle function, and without it, you may experience muscle pain, spasms, stiffness and aches.

Cognitive issues

Some studies have found calcium to have an effect on mental health. So, without the right amount of calcium in your body, you may encounter cognitive issues like brain fog, dizziness and confusion.

Numbness

As mentioned above, calcium has a part to play in nerve function. A deficiency in calcium may affect our nerves, causing numbness and tingling in the fingers and other extremities.

Abnormal heart rhythm

Since calcium also affects muscle function, its deficiency in the body might negatively impact your heart rate. So if you are facing an abnormal heart rhythm, go to your physician immediately to understand what is happening and take necessary precautions.

When should you visit a doctor?

If you face any of these symptoms for more than a few days, you should visit your physician to rule out any deficiencies. Only a trained medical health professional can diagnose your deficiency and help you treat it or manage it effectively.

Conclusion

To summarise, calcium is a vital mineral in our body. It not only affects our bone health but also our muscle function, nerve function, oral health and maybe even brain function. Having a calcium deficiency can cause serious health issues including osteoporosis, rickets in children, fatigue, numbness, brain fog etc. If you are dealing with severe calcium deficiency symptoms, check with your doctor, follow their advice and prioritise calcium-rich foods to come out stronger!

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