Here’s how calcium deficiency occurs…..
As with other minerals, the body has a marvelous system for keeping the concentration of calcium in the blood and tissues just right. This is needed because if calcium concentrations fall too low or get too high, certain organs will fail to function. The first checkpoint is in the intestines. If you eat too much calcium or already have enough calcium in your blood, the intestines simply absorb less of the calcium in the food you eat.
If your body needs calcium, the intestine absorbs more. Bones are the second checkpoint. The intestine deposits the calcium in the bones and they act as a reservoir for calcium. When the amount of calcium in the blood dips too low, calcium is borrowed from the bones. This works for a time. When diets are low in this mineral, there may be a continuous withdrawal of calcium from the bones and not sufficient amount is available to be returned to the bones. Over time, this net loss will deplete the bones of calcium and lead to calcium deficiency.
1. Low levels of calcium in the diet
2. Vitamin D deficiency as vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium
3. Liver disease
4. Other medical illness, like defective absorption of minerals in the stomach or intestine are a few other causes of calcium deficiency.
1. Brittle bones
2. Joint pains
3. Yellowing of teeth
3 Consequences of Calcium Deficiency
1. Bone and Teeth Abnormality : The major outcome of calcium deficiency is bone and teeth abnormalities which are seen quite different in children and adults.
2. Rickets, Calcium deficiency in children: If children are deprived of calcium in their early stages of growth, it progressively leads to weakening and softening of bones making them fragile. Bowing of legs, enlargement of wrists, knees and ankles, poor muscular development, beaded ribs, large foreheads and protruding chest are some of the other features of rickets.
3. Osteoporosis, Adult Rickets: The low levels of calcium in adults leads to loss of bone mass to such an extent that the bones lose strength and becomes unable to perform its supporting role in the body. Fractures may occur due to minor falls and bumps or bones may even break under their own weight. People with osteoporosis may have a hump in their backs, curvature of the spine and rounded shoulders. These conditions may be caused by the buckling of their weakened spines, no longer being strong enough to hold the body upright.
To overcome calcium deficiency please check which Calcium Rich Foods to have and what is your Daily Calcium Requirements
Below we give you some Calcium Rich recipes to follow.