CALCIUM

 calcium is essential for your body's overall nutrition and health. Calcium makes up approximately 2
percent of your total body weight and contributes to many basic body functions, including disease
prevention and absorption of other nutrients. Consuming enough calcium -- between 1,000 and 1,200
milligrams per day for healthy men and women -- is a must for optimal nutrition and health.
 Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth, which is where 99 percent of this mineral is stored in the
body. Calcium also plays a role in nerve-impulse transmission and in the constriction and relaxation of
blood vessels and muscles. Approximately 88 percent of adult females and 63 percent of adult males
don’t get enough calcium.
 Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. It constitutes 1.5 to 2 percent of total body weight,
with more than 99 percent of the calcium being present in the bones. In addition to its major function in
building and maintaining bones and teeth, calcium is important in the activity of many enzymes in the
body. The contraction of muscles, release of neurotransmitters, regulation of heartbeat, and clotting of
blood are all dependent on calcium.

Basic Functions
Calcium performs a number of basic functions in your body. Your body uses 99 percent of its calcium to keep
your bones and teeth strong, thereby supporting skeletal structure and function. The rest of the calcium in your
body plays key roles in cell signaling, blood clotting, muscle contraction and nerve function. Cells use calcium
to activate certain enzymes, transport ions across the cellular membrane, and send and receive neurotransmitters
during communication with other cells. As an electrolyte, or a particle that helps conduct electricity in the body,
calcium is also one of the key players in maintaining a regular heartbeat.
Nutrient Interactions
Calcium can affect how your body absorbs and uses other nutrients. In nature, calcium carries a very small
electrical charge, which is why it can conduct electricity within your body. Because your body only absorbs a
certain number of charged particles at once, the presence of calcium may cause a temporary lower absorption
rate of other naturally charged minerals, such as iron, zinc and magnesium. The decreased absorption of these
minerals may not be severe enough to cause nutritional deficiencies, but healthcare professionals recommend
consuming any supplements of these minerals at least 2 hours before or after you eat calcium-rich foods.
Diseases and Conditions
Calcium may decrease the risk for colorectal cancer and can lower systolic blood pressure in individuals with
high blood pressure. Additionally, you can decrease your risk for osteoporosis by consuming adequate amounts
of calcium throughout your life. Some research also suggests eating calcium-rich foods may decrease your risk
for overweight and obesity, although this topic is widely debated within the science community. A study
published in a 2004 issue of "Obesity" showed individuals on a high-calcium, high-dairy diet lost 70 percent
more body weight than individuals on a low-calcium diet when caloric intake was the same.
Considerations
Consuming too much calcium, especially in the form of calcium supplements, can lead to constipation and
kidney stones. The Institute of Medicine recommends healthy men and women limit their daily calcium
consumption to 2,000 to 2,500 milligrams. Additionally, other nutrients can affect calcium absorption. Without
vitamin D, your body cannot absorb calcium. Caffeine, alcohol and excess sodium can all decrease calcium
absorption and/or increase calcium excretion from your body.
Bone Health
One of the most serious consequences of a calcium deficiency is that the body will actually leach needed
calcium from the bones, which can lead to osteoporosis. A British study showed that risk of fracture was 75
percent higher in women whose dietary calcium intakes were less than 525 milligrams per day than for those
whose intakes were over 1,200 milligrams per day.

Cancer Prevention
A study of nearly half a million people by the National Institutes of Health found that diets rich in calcium from
food sources may help protect against over 10 different types of cancer, the most common being prostate,
breast, lung and colorectal.

Having too much:

What happens if I don’t get enough calcium?

Insufficient intakes of calcium do not produce obvious symptoms in the short term because the body maintains
calcium levels in the blood by taking it from bone. Over the long term, intakes of calcium below recommended
levels have health consequences, such as causing low bone mass (osteopenia) and increasing the risks
of osteoporosis and bone fractures.

Symptoms of serious calcium deficiency include numbness and tingling in the fingers, convulsions, and
abnormal heart rhythms that can lead to death if not corrected. These symptoms occur almost always in people
with serious health problems or who are undergoing certain medical treatments.

What are some effects of calcium on health?

Scientists are studying calcium to understand how it affects health. Here are several examples of what this
research has shown:

Bone health and osteoporosis

Bones need plenty of calcium and vitamin D throughout childhood and adolescence to reach their peak strength
and calcium content by about age 30. After that, bones slowly lose calcium, but people can help reduce these
losses by getting recommended amounts of calcium throughout adulthood and by having a healthy, active
lifestyle that includes weight-bearing physical activity (such as walking and running).

Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones in older adults (especially women) in which the bones become porous,
fragile, and more prone to fracture. Osteoporosis is a serious public health problem for more than 10 million
adults over the age of 50 in the United States. Adequate calcium and vitamin D intakes as well as regular
exercise are essential to keep bones healthy throughout life.

Taking calcium and vitamin D supplements reduce the risk of breaking a bone and the risk of falling in frail,
elderly adults who live in nursing homes and similar facilities. But it’s not clear if the supplements help prevent
bone fractures and falls in older people who live at home.

Cancer
Studies have examined whether calcium supplements or diets high in calcium might lower the risks of
developing cancer of the colon or rectum or increase the risk of prostate cancer. The research to date provides
no clear answers. Given that cancer develops over many years, longer term studies are needed.

Cardiovascular disease
Some studies show that getting enough calcium might decrease the risk of heart disease and stroke. Other
studies find that high amounts of calcium, particularly from supplements, might increase the risk of heart
disease. But when all the studies are considered together, scientists have concluded that as long as intakes are
not above the upper limit, calcium from food or supplements will not increase or decrease the risk of having a
heart attack or stroke.
High blood pressure
Some studies have found that getting recommended intakes of calcium can reduce the risk of developing high
blood pressure (hypertension). One large study in particular found that eating a diet high in fat-free and low-fat
dairy products, vegetables, and fruits lowered blood pressure.

Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a serious medical condition in which a pregnant woman develops high blood pressure and
kidney problems that cause protein to spill into the urine. It is a leading cause of sickness and death in pregnant
women and their newborn babies. For women who get less than about 900 mg of calcium a day, taking calcium
supplements during pregnancy (1,000 mg a day or more) reduces the risk of preeclampsia. But most women in
the United States who become pregnant get enough calcium from their diets.

Kidney stones
Most kidney stones are rich in calcium oxalate. Some studies have found that higher intakes of calcium from
dietary supplements are linked to a greater risk of kidney stones, especially among older adults. But calcium
from foods does not appear to cause kidney stones. For most people, other factors (such as not drinking enough
fluids) probably have a larger effect on the risk of kidney stones than calcium intake.

Weight loss
Although several studies have shown that getting more calcium helps lower body weight or reduce weight gain
over time, most studies have found that calcium—from foods or dietary supplements—has little if any effect on
body weight and amount of body fat.

For more information on calcium and weight loss, see our consumer fact sheet on Weight Loss.

Can calcium be harmful?

Getting too much calcium can cause constipation. It might also interfere with the body’s ability to
absorb iron and zinc, but this effect is not well established. In adults, too much calcium (from dietary
supplements but not food) might increase the risk of kidney stones. Some studies show that people who
consume high amounts of calcium might have increased risks of prostate cancer and heart disease, but more
research is needed to understand these possible links.

The upper limits for calcium are listed below. Most people do not get amounts above the upper limits from food
alone; excess intakes usually come from the use of calcium supplements. Surveys show that some older women
in the United States probably get amounts somewhat above the upper limit since the use of calcium supplements
is common among these women.

Call your doctor at once if you have signs of too much calcium in your body, such as:

 nausea, vomiting, constipation;

 increased thirst or urination;
 muscle weakness, bone pain; or
 confusion, lack of energy, or feeling tired.
Common side effects may include:

 an irregular heartbeat;
 weakness, drowsiness, headache;
 dry mouth, or a metallic taste in your mouth; or
 muscle or bone pain