Calcium is the most important and abundant mineral in the human body, which plays an exceptional role in preserving health and vitality. It is most often found in bones and teeth.
Most of the calcium in the diet comes from dairy products. Other good sources of this mineral are sardines, salmon, seaweed, green vegetables, dried fruits, nuts and tofu.
For its absorption and utilization in our body, some other nutrients are needed, such as the minerals magnesium and phosphorus and vitamins D and K.
People suffering from osteoporosis are recommended to take additional calcium from supplements, in slightly higher doses - up to 1200 milligrams, usually with the addition of vitamin D. Adequate calcium intake is most important in childhood and adolescence, and research shows that this intake is often insufficient.
Although the increased intake of calcium through supplements in postmenopausal women has very little effect on slowing the decrease in bone mass density and reducing the risk of bone fractures, one should be persistent when it comes to adequate intake because even a small benefit can be important. Experts agree that the majority of calcium should be taken into the body through food because it is available in food in combination with other substances that contribute to its utilization in the body.
Reduced amounts of calcium in the blood are called hypocalcemia, and insufficient food intake, poor calcium absorption, increased calcium excretion, or a combination of all of the above can cause a lack of this important mineral.
A short-term insufficient intake of calcium from food does not cause significant symptoms, given that the levels of calcium in our body are strictly controlled. More precisely, when there is a lack of calcium, our body starts the process of bone demineralization, that is, it extracts calcium from them in order to maintain the optimal amount of this mineral in the blood.
Symptoms of calcium deficiency are: stiffness and tingling in the fingers, muscle spasms, convulsions, lethargy, poor appetite, abnormal heart rhythm, spasms of the larynx and bronchial tubes, which causes breathing difficulties, changes in brain function (depression, dementia).
Insufficient calcium intake primarily affects the bones and muscles, causing tetany, a condition characterized by alternating spasms of muscles that cannot relax, especially the muscles of the arms and legs.
Muscle pain and paresthesias (numbness and tingling) are common signs of tetany. Long-term hypocalcemia can cause osteopenia, which, if left untreated, can lead to osteoporosis.
The risk of bone fractures is also increased, especially when it comes to the elderly population, and calcium deficiency can also cause rickets, although this condition is more associated with vitamin D deficiency, reports Radio Sarajevo.
Bonus video:
