Too Much Calcium
Tips for Recognizing if You Are Getting Too Much Calcium
The human body needs calcium, but believe it or not too much calcium is not a good thing. Even good things can be bad for you if you have too much of it. Calcium is a mineral that the body needs in order to build strong teeth and bones, plus calcium also helps the blood to clot correctly, maintaining a normal heart rhythm, along with the process of sending electrical nerve impulses, plus much more.
You will get most of your calcium from dairy products such as eggs, milk, cheese, etc. Though it is difficult to get too much calcium, it can happen and the result can be damaging to your health.
If you do not have healthy kidney function, getting too much calcium is something that can happen. It is the kidneys that help to control how much calcium goes into the blood, as well as how much phosphorus is in the blood. When the kidneys are not working correctly, this becomes imbalanced and can cause some major health issues. If there is too much phosphorus you can actually diminish the amount of calcium in the bones which will make them brittle and weak.
Too much calcium can also cause deposits in tissue known as calcifications; these can occur in the blood vessels and cause blockage. In addition, calcification can cause lung disease, heart disease, as well as pain in the joints. If you have kidney disease you should have an intake of calcium that is less than 2000 mg per day.
If you already eat the daily recommended amounts of dairy foods, you do not need to eat calcium fortified foods; eating these foods will increase the danger of getting too much calcium. In addition to watching that you don’t eat calcium fortified foods, you will also want to read the labels carefully if a product is marketed as being fortified with vitamins and minerals. When reading the label, check to see how much calcium is included in the product so you can be sure that you are not getting too much.
Another product that could increase your calcium intake to unsafe levels is calcium based antacids. If you need to take antacids, you will want to talk with your doctor to find out if the medication would cause you to get too much calcium. Of course you will also want to consult with your doctor before you begin taking any type of calcium supplements, it is possible that your calcium levels are fine and you don’t need a supplement, plus your doctor can advise you on how much of the supplement you should take.
For years people have been told that they need to increase their calcium intake so that they can have strong teeth and bones; it is not surprising that now people are confused by the fact that they can actually have too much calcium. There is no doubt that getting enough calcium is important for good health, but like anything, if you get too much you can be causing undue risk to your health too.
To be sure that you are only getting as much calcium that is necessary for good health and that you are not getting too much calcium, you will want to ask your doctor or dietitian for advice on what your calcium intake should be.