Calcium deficiency - these are the symptoms

The most important points in brief

• No other mineral is found in such an amount in the body as calcium.
• The body needs one gram of calcium every day, which we have to take in through our diet.
• In total we have around 1,200 grams of calcium in our body, almost the entire amount is in our bones.
• However, the mineral is essential for a variety of body functions.

The human organism is a true miracle, but it too has its limits. And at the latest when it comes to regulating yourself when it comes to minerals. That means: The body is not able to produce most of the minerals, which also includes calcium (also written calcium) - we have to take them in with food or with food supplements.

Calcium is abundant in many plant-derived foods such as broccoli and spinach, but animal products, especially milk or dairy products, also contain this metal. And not to forget: Mineral water is also quite calcium-rich.

What leads to calcium deficiency?

Healthy bones and teeth are inconceivable without a balanced calcium balance, but more on that later. First of all, it is about what can lead to an undersupply of calcium in the first place. And there are a few factors to be mentioned, including special physical circumstances such as childhood and puberty (bone growth), menopause, breastfeeding or pregnancy, diseases of the thyroid and kidneys, inflammation of the pancreas, hormonal disorders, certain drugs, digestive problems and more:

• too high a phosphate level
• Deficiency in magnesium, vitamin C or vitamin D
• too much alcohol or caffeine
• Not enough calcium-rich diet
• Competitive sport

In addition, the organism may have impaired absorption or utilization of calcium.

How calcium deficiency manifests itself: the symptoms

Studies show that men only get around two-thirds of their daily calcium requirement through food - women even less. Only every second Central European gets their calcium requirement through food. But because calcium is important for a large number of functions of the organism, a large number of symptoms can also be described which indicate a calcium deficiency. If you have one or more of these symptoms, it does not necessarily mean a calcium deficiency. The more symptoms occur in parallel, however, the greater the probability. Signs can be:

• brittle hair and nails as well as changes to the skin
• Spasms or tremors in the muscles
• Problems with digestion, heart or circulation
• inflamed gums and tooth decay
• mental disorders
• Difficulty with bone metabolism
• Cataract
• Rickets and osteoporosis

Of course, it depends on how long you take in too little calcium and how intense the undersupply actually is.

Vitamin D - cause of calcium deficiency

It is very possible that one consumes sufficient calcium and still suffers from a calcium deficiency. A lack of vitamin D is often responsible. It is in the intestine that humans extract the necessary calcium from food, and vitamin D in particular is immensely important because it promotes calcium absorption from the small intestine and also ensures that the bones also absorb the minerals obtained. Eggs, mushrooms and fish are valuable for the vitamin D balance.