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Hypocalcemia is a metabolic disorder in which there is lower calcium in the blood than normal. Calcium is an essential mineral present in the blood and bones in specific amounts. Your body needs calcium for strengthening bones, nerve stimulation, muscle contraction, and blood clotting.
The body has hormones such as parathyroid and vitamin D to maintain optimal calcium levels in the blood. When there is low calcium in the blood, the parathyroid hormone releases calcium from bones into the blood.
Vitamin D maintains calcium levels by absorbing maximum calcium from the intestine.
The deficiency of calcium-regulating hormones causes hypocalcemia. You can also develop hypocalcemia from some underlying health condition, such as kidney failure.
Medical management of hypocalcemia includes calcium supplements and dietary modifications. If left untreated, hypocalcemia can be life-threatening by causing heart failure and seizures.
When calcium levels are low in the blood, the body releases parathyroid - a hormone produced by the parathyroid gland which is located just underneath the thyroid gland.
Only about1% of calcium is stored in the blood, while bones and teeth store the remaining calcium in the body. Parathyroid hormones initiate the breakdown of bone cells and the release of calcium from bone cells into the blood. Adequate vitamin D also helps in the intestinal absorption of calcium and prevents hypocalcemia.
However, if the body fails to maintain the required calcium levels, it can lead to serious health complications. This can occur due to a lack of calcium-regulating hormones or some underlying health conditions.
Here are some common complications of low calcium levels:
Initially, low calcium levels in the blood don’t cause any symptoms. You may get to know that you have hypocalcemia only by a blood test. However, as the body stays deficient in calcium for longer, you start to experience several symptoms.
Here are some initial symptoms of hypocalcemia:
As the calcium deficiency gets worse, you can experience some severe and life-threatening symptoms. These include:
Calcium deficiency can occur in anyone at any age. However, certain factors can increase your likelihood of developing hypocalcemia. These commonly include dietary habits and some health conditions.
Here are a few common factors that increase the risk of calcium deficiency:
Hypoparathyroidism is a condition in which the parathyroid glands produce abnormally low levels of parathyroid hormones. Since your body needs parathyroid hormone to regulate calcium levels in the blood, low parathyroid hormone increases the risk of calcium deficiency.
Hypoparathyroidism occurs after the surgical removal of parathyroid glands, a common surgery for thyroid cancer. You can also develop hypoparathyroidism due to autoimmune disease and heredity causes.
You need vitamin D to absorb calcium into the blood and prevent its loss from the body. People with vitamin D deficiency are at a higher risk of developing hypocalcemia.
Certain medical conditions can lead tovitamin D deficiency. A diet low in vitamin D and inadequate sun exposure can also cause vitamin D deficiency.
Kidneys perform two important functions associated with regulating calcium levels in the blood. Kidneysremove phosphorus from the blood andconvert inactive vitamin D into active form.
People with kidney failure may have high phosphorus in their blood. Phosphoruscauses calcium deposition into the bones, resulting in low blood calcium levels. Similarly, inactive vitamin D can’t absorb calcium, causing low blood calcium levels.
Some other factors that increase your risk of calcium deficiencyinclude:
How you can improve calcium deficiency depends on the cause of calcium deficiency and the severity of the condition. When the deficiency is severe enough to cause seizures and cardiac arrhythmias, doctors will give youintravenous calcium. This is because intravenous calcium will act rapidly and prevent serious complications.
As the life-threatening symptoms subside, the following options can help improve calcium deficiency:
When the symptoms of calcium deficiency are mild and there is no serious risk of complications, doctors will recommend oral calcium supplements. Calcium carbonate and calcium citrate are themost commonly used preparation for calcium supplements.
The goal of having calcium supplements is to get1500 to 2000 grams of calcium each day. This amount is more than the recommended daily calcium for healthy people.
If you have vitamin D deficiency, then calcium supplements alone will not work for you. This is because the body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium and prevent its loss. So for patients with vitamin D deficiency,doctors also recommend vitamin D supplements.
See Also: Shocking Signs of Vitamin D Deficiency - Tips to Get This Right!
When the calcium deficiency is due to low parathyroid hormone levels, your doctor may suggest recombinant human parathyroid hormone. It is a synthetic form of parathyroid hormone,approved by the FDA for treating hypocalcemia.
However, this treatment option is not very cost-effective and accessible. It also has the risk of side effects such as bone pain.
You can improve hypocalcemia naturally by making some dietary changes. This includes eating foods that are high in calcium and vitamin D.
Here are some foods rich in calcium:
Similarly, you can get vitamin D to improve hypocalcemia from the following foods:
Fiber is an incredible food ingredient with a widerange of health benefits. It improves yourgut health and has a beneficial role inheart disease,obesity, andtype 2 diabetes.
However, scientific evidence about the role of fiber in regulating calcium levels is limited. Some studies suggest that fiber helps retain high calcium levels while others claim that fiber diet can negatively influence calcium absorption.
Astudy in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reveals that corn fiber significantly increases bone calcium retention. This stored calcium in the bones can serve as a source of calcium for your blood in the episodes of hypocalcemia.
See Also: The Crucial Need for Fiber in Our Diets and How Fiber Powders Can Help!
A2019 study shows that a high-fiber diet, such as vegetables, increases the parathyroid hormone levels in the blood. Parathyroid hormone improves calcium levels in the blood by releasing calcium from bones.
On the other hand, some studies show that fiber can decrease the availability of calcium in the blood. For example, a2018 study shows that fiber can decrease calcium absorption in the body. Fiber foods contain a substance calledphytate.Studies show that phytate can greatly reduce calcium absorption and retention.
Want to incorporate fiber into your diet?
If you want to get fiber for its general health benefits, we encourage you to add plant-based foods to your diet. You can alsobuy powdered fiber, which is a seamless way to incorporate fiber into your diet. However, if you are planning to eat fiber with low calcium levels, we recommend you consult your healthcare provider first.
Studies show that adults require an average of 1000 milligrams of calcium daily. There are many superfoods that you can eat to get recommended calcium. These include:
Sardines are small fish that contain plenty of calcium.Studies show that 100 grams of sardine — ½ cup of chopped sardine — will provide you with calcium equivalent to 400 grams of milk. Only 100 grams of sardines fulfill about 38% of your daily calcium requirements.
They are also rich inhealthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids.
Almonds can be an excellent snack for people with calcium deficiency.Reports show that 100 grams of almonds — usually ⅔ of a cup — contain 269 milligrams of calcium. Almonds are also a great source of healthy fats.
Chia seeds are another calcium-rich and highly nutritious superfood option. According toreports, 100 grams of chia seeds — ½ cup of chia seeds — contain 631 milligrams of calcium. They are also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids.
However, chia seeds also contain fiber, so make sure to ask your healthcare provider before consuming it for calcium deficiency.
Kale is a leafy green vegetable that contains calcium, vitamins, and antioxidants.Reports show that kale provides more calcium per serving than milk. 100 grams of cooked or boiled kale — 1 to 1.5 cups — contains 150 milligrams of calcium.
Tofu contains a healthy amount of calcium.Reports show that 100 grams of tofu — usually ⅓ of a cup — contains 350 milligrams of calcium. Tofu is also an excellent source of protein and healthy fats.
Check out our berry-flavored greens superfood powder for gradual and consistent intake of superfoods.
Hypocalcemia is a condition of low blood calcium levels. This condition commonly develops due to a deficiency of calcium-regulating hormones such as parathyroid and vitamin D.
Hypocalcemia is not very common but can be life-threatening in some cases. Untreated and severe hypocalcemia can cause serious complications such as heart failure and seizures. Medical management is possible through calcium and vitamin D supplements and synthetic parathyroid hormone.
Dietary changes are essential to improve calcium deficiency and prevent complications.
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