{"id":1909,"date":"2018-06-08T07:41:52","date_gmt":"2018-06-08T07:41:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=1909"},"modified":"2021-03-17T14:36:47","modified_gmt":"2021-03-17T14:36:47","slug":"10-low-calcium-symptoms-to-watch-out-for","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/10-low-calcium-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Low Calcium Symptoms to Watch Out For"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Low calcium, or hypocalcemia, can be a pretty serious condition. Calcium is found throughout the body, but it is mostly in the bones. Calcium is an important ingredient in the development of strong, healthy bones, but it is also an important ingredient in preventing bones from becoming unhealthy later in life. Calcium has other jobs as well.<\/p>\n

Calcium is one of the nutrients that we must get from outside the body, because it is not manufactured by humans. If you have low calcium, then you are going to notice certain symptoms. Understanding what these symptoms are and how to recognize them is important because it allows you to take steps to make sure that you are getting enough calcium from sources like milk products, some fish products like sardines and anchovies as well as tofu, legumes, spinach and broccoli. There are a few places to get calcium but you have to know that you need more of it first.<\/p>\n

1. Weak or Brittle Nails<\/h3>\n

One of the things that you will notice when you have a calcium<\/a> deficiency is that your nails will be weaker than normal and may break easily. Brittle nails are a common symptom of calcium deficiency and one that builds slowly over time. It might be difficult to notice at first, but you should pay attention if your nails feel thicker than usual or if they break off easily.<\/p>\n

It can be difficult to get the calcium that your body needs, but it is really important. The development of your nails is one of the most important parts of your extremities because they protect the most sensitive parts of your hands and feet. When you are not able to build nails properly, they can break off and then expose those sensitive areas. A lack of calcium is one of only a few things that can cause this. \"\"<\/p>\n

2. Neuropathy<\/h3>\n

There are some neuropathy<\/a> symptoms that can come with low calcium. Neuropathy means that you have tingling or numbness in certain parts of your body. These usually happen in the extremities (the hands, arms, legs and feet) but tingling has been known to happen in other places as well. Numbness usually happens in the fingers or toes. The thing that most people do not realize is that calcium is integral to the nervous system and is necessary for proper nerve conduction.<\/p>\n

In fact, another symptom of low calcium is the prevalence of neurological symptoms, which is almost exclusively caused by the poor nerve conduction. However, you will notice other neuropathy symptoms as well like the aforementioned tingling and numbness. This is a common symptom of spinal problems as well, so it can be easy to dismiss these symptoms as indicative of something else instead. \"\"<\/p>\n

3. Bone Fractures or Breaks<\/h3>\n

When you have hypocalcemia<\/a>, your bones are not being built or rebuilt properly. If you do not get enough calcium as a child then your bones are not going to develop properly and cause major problems later in life. But a major misconception is that once bones are completely developed and you become an adult then you no longer need much calcium because your bones are already completed. But this is not true at all.<\/p>\n

In fact, your bones decay and need to be reinforced with calcium and phosphorus in order to keep them healthy and strong. You will have problems as an adult when it comes to bone loss when you do not get enough calcium, and you will especially experience symptoms when you get older. Calcium is absolutely vital to folks over 65 because they will already be experiencing bone loss. \"\"<\/p>\n

4. Slowed Hair Growth<\/h3>\n

Another symptom<\/a> that you might notice that may mean that you are not getting enough calcium is slowed hair growth. Hair is composed mostly of protein, but calcium is a really important part of making it grow. The problem is that this can be tricky to determine if you have been lacking the right amount of calcium throughout your entire life (and most people have had the same type of diet for many years or decades) so you might think that your hair grows at a normal rate.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why it is important to test for levels of calcium or calculate how much you are getting from your diet and comparing it to the daily recommended amount that medical experts say that you should be getting. Slowed hair growth will apply mostly to the hair on your head, but it might apply to body hair as well. \"\"<\/p>\n

5. Depression<\/h3>\n

Depression<\/a> is a common symptom in many illnesses and especially in conditions where the body is not getting enough of something. For example, depression exists in Addison\u2019s disease because the body is not getting the hormones that it needs. Calcium is different than the hormone cortisol, which is the main hormone missing when you have Addison\u2019s disease, but you still feel like your body is out of whack when you do not get enough calcium.<\/p>\n

Depression can happen to anyone, and it is not always a symptom of something physiological. Many people suffer from clinical depression and have to seek treatment and medication from a qualified mental health professional. But if you suddenly notice depression symptoms where they hadn\u2019t been present before then you may want to check calcium as a possible cause, particularly if you are experiencing any of the other symptoms listed here. \"\"<\/p>\n

6. Neurological Symptoms<\/h3>\n

There are some neurological impairment symptoms that you might notice when you have low blood calcium levels. A low calcium level can affect several different functions within the body including the nervous system, which works hand-in-hand with the brain. Some of the neurological symptoms that you might notice if you have a calcium deficiency include memory loss and mental confusion.<\/p>\n

This makes it difficult to distinguish from dementia<\/a> or Alzheimer\u2019s. The best way to know whether these neurological symptoms are due to calcium or something else is to look at the other symptoms listed here and seeing if any of them are present as well. Other neurological symptoms can include delusions, hallucinations and depression, but the good news is, these symptoms will disappear almost immediately is calcium levels are returned to normal. This can be an important diagnostic tool as well. \"\"<\/p>\n

7. Difficulty Moving<\/h3>\n

You might find that you have difficulty moving if you have low calcium. Hypocalcemia, which is another term for lower-than-normal level of calcium, can cause several nervous system<\/a> symptoms that make it difficult for you to move. We discussed some of the neuropathy that can happen with a calcium deficiency, and that all contributes to having difficulty moving. For example, you might experience muscle spasms and twitches which are symptoms that are associated with neurological problems as well as with neuropathy.<\/p>\n

When calcium levels go extremely low, muscle spasms can definitely occur. In some cases this can be extremely serious such as spasms in throat muscles that make it difficult to breathe. With newborns, you will notice that babies with low calcium are jittery or twitchy. These are all good indicators that there might be a calcium problem.\"\"<\/p>\n

8. Seizures<\/h3>\n

Having a seizure<\/a> is definitely cause for concern, and when you have low calcium, you have the potential to experience seizures. Obviously, whenever you experience a seizure you should seek medical attention immediately to find out why. One of the reasons can definitely be hypocalcemia. This can happen in infants, juveniles and adults. The reason for this is due to the nervous system problems that come from having very low calcium. The good news is, this will usually not happen unless you have extremely low calcium levels.<\/p>\n

If you notice some of the other symptoms that are listed here and take steps to address the calcium deficiency then you should not ever experience a seizure. If you do, then you have let your calcium deficiency go on for far too long. Most seizures are not life-threatening, but you should avoid them if you can because people have been seriously injured or died because of a seizure.\"\"<\/p>\n

9. Impaired Sense of Touch<\/h3>\n

You might notice differences with your sense of touch when it comes to low calcium. This is one of what some experts call \u201cgiveaway symptoms\u201d because an impaired sense of touch cannot be linked to many other causes. Like so many other of the symptoms that are listed here, the impaired sense of touch comes from the same compromised nervous system that causes the neurological symptoms as well as the muscle spasms<\/a> and other indicators that we have discussed.<\/p>\n

In order to determine whether or not you have an impaired sense of touch caused by nervous system problems, all you have to do is touch something and feel for a tingling or numbness that makes it feel as if you are not really touching it. However, it may not just be in the fingers or toes, it might also be present in the lips and tongue.\"\"<\/p>\n

10. Irregular Heart Rhythm<\/h3>\n

Another symptom of low calcium is an irregular heart rhythm. Although not always the case, many people can tell when they experience an irregular heart rhythm or palpitations<\/a>. You will notice that you feel sort of shaky or odd. However, the best way that you can find out if you have a regular heart rhythm is to talk to your doctor and get tested.<\/p>\n

An electrocardiogram will be able to tell if you are experiencing regular heart symptoms and then you can talk to your doctor to try to find out where the problem is coming from and take steps to solve any sort of calcium deficiency. In fact, if you experience any of these symptoms it might be a good idea to talk to your doctor about them, particularly if you feel that you are not getting enough calcium to begin with. Your doctor will be able to discuss your options better.<\/p>\n\r\n

<\/div>