By: Dr. Amay Tripathi, Associate Editor-ICN
LUCKNOW: Calcium is the most abundant metal and the fifth-most abundant element in the human body. As electrolytes, calcium ions play a vital role in the physiological and biochemical processes of organisms and cells.
Calcium is a mineral that is necessary for life. In addition to building bones and keeping them healthy, calcium enables our blood to clot, our muscles to contract, and our heart to beat.
About 99% of the calcium in our bodies is in our bones and teeth. Calcium is indispensable to the building of bone; and supports synthesis and function of blood cells.
Possibly Effective for
Colorectal cancer. Research suggests that high intake of dietary or supplemental calcium reduces the risk of colorectal cancer. However, some conflicting evidence exists. This may be due to differences in blood levels of vitamin D. People with low levels of vitamin D do not seem to benefit from calcium supplements.
Increasing bone strength in fetuses. In pregnant women who eat a low amount of calcium as part of their diet, calcium supplementation increases the bone mineral density of the fetus. However, this does not appear to be beneficial for women with normal calcium levels.
Fluoride poisoning. Taking calcium by mouth, together with vitamin C and vitamin D supplements, seems to reduce fluoride levels in children and improve symptoms of fluoride poisoning.
High cholesterol. Taking calcium supplements along with a low-fat or low-calorie diet seems to modestly reduce cholesterol. Taking calcium alone, without the restricted diet, does not seem to lower cholesterol.
High blood pressure. Taking calcium supplements seems to reduce blood pressure slightly (usually around 1-2 mmHg) in people with or without high blood pressure. Calcium seems to work best in salt-sensitive people and people who normally get very little calcium. Taking calcium by mouth also seems to be helpful for reducing blood pressure in people with serious kidney disease.
High blood pressure during pregnancy (pre-eclampsia). Taking 1-2 grams of calcium by mouth daily seems to reduce pregnancy-related high blood pressure. Calcium appears to reduce the risk of high blood pressure in pregnancy by about 50%. Calcium appears to have the greatest effect in high-risk women and women with low calcium levels.
Tooth loss. Taking calcium and vitamin D by mouth appears to help prevent tooth loss in older people.
Weight loss. Adults and children with low calcium intake are more likely to gain weight, have a higher body mass index (BMI), and be overweight or obese compared to people with high calcium intake. Researchers have studied whether increasing calcium intake might help with weight loss. Results are mixed. Some clinical research shows that increasing calcium consumption from dairy products, such as yogurt, increases weight loss, lean body mass, and body fat loss in people on a low-calorie diet as well as people on a regular unrestricted-calorie diet. Also, taking calcium supplements along with vitamin D seems to increase weight loss in people who have inadequate intake of calcium. Calcium supplements don’t seem to increase weight loss in people with adequate calcium intake. Also, calcium does not appear to increase weight loss in people who are not overweight.
Possibly Ineffective for
Breast cancer. Some research suggests that women who eat more calcium have a reduced risk for developing breast cancer. However, other research suggests that blood levels of calcium are not linked with breast cancer risk. Overall, most research suggests that taking calcium does not reduce the risk for breast cancer.
Heart disease. Most research shows that there is no association between calcium supplementation and the risk of heart disease in healthy people.
Fractures. Taking calcium alone or with vitamin D does not seem to prevent fractures in older people without osteoporosis.
Heart attack. Early research suggests that people who consume more calcium in their diet have a lower risk of having a heart attack. However, the effects of calcium SUPPLEMENTS on heart attack risk are not clear. Some research suggests that calcium supplements increase heart attack risk. Other research shows there is no effect. It may be that some people have an increased risk while others do not. For example, people who take calcium as a single supplement might have an increased risk. On the other hand, people who take calcium with vitamin D do not seem to have an increased risk. Also, people who take a calcium supplement and consume more than 805 mg/day of calcium as part of their diet might be at an increased risk, while people who take a supplement and consume less calcium in their diet might not.
Ineffective for
Cardiac arrest. Evidence suggests that administering calcium during cardiac arrest does not increase survival and might actually worsen the chance for resuscitation.
Insufficient Evidence for
Cancer.– Research shows that taking calcium alone does not reduce the risk of cancer. Taking calcium along with vitamin D might reduce the risk of cancer in some people, but results are conflicting. Some research shows that taking 1400-1500 mg of calcium daily plus 1100 IU of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) daily lowers the risk of developing cancer by 60% in healthy older women who have low blood levels of vitamin D before treatment. But other research shows that taking 1500 mg of calcium daily plus 2000 IU of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) daily does not reduce the risk of developing cancer in healthy older women who have adequate levels of vitamin D before treatment.
Diabetes-. Some early research suggests that consuming more calcium from the diet or from supplements, either alone or in combination with vitamin D, lowers the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Painful periods. -Research shows that taking calcium with a high dose of vitamin D does not reduce pain during painful periods. However, taking calcium without vitamin D might be beneficial.
High levels of lead in the blood. -Some research suggests that taking calcium supplements does not lower the levels of lead in the blood. However, other research suggests that taking calcium reduces blood lead levels by 11%.
Endometrial cancer. -Taking calcium supplements might reduce the risk of developing endometrial cancer. However, dietary calcium does not seem to have any benefit.
Preventing falls.- Evidence suggests that calcium plus vitamin D might help prevent falls by decreasing body sway and helping to keep blood pressure normal. Calcium alone does not seem to have the effect. Interestingly, calcium plus vitamin D seems to prevent falls in women, but not in men.
Stroke-. There is some evidence that increasing calcium intake in the diet might decrease the risk of stroke. Other evidence suggests that increasing calcium intake does not reduce the risk of stroke.
Metabolic syndrome. -Some evidence suggests that consuming more calcium from the diet and supplements, either alone or in combination with vitamin D, lowers the risk of developing metabolic syndrome.
Vitamin B12 deficiency caused by the drug metformin.- Taking calcium supplements might reduce vitamin B12 deficiency caused by the diabetes drug metformin.
Ulcers in the lining of the mouth.- Evidence suggests that using a mouth rinse containing calcium phosphate (Caphosol, EUSA Pharma) in combination with fluoride treatments reduces the duration of pain in people with mouth ulcers due to stem cell transplants.
Ovarian cancer.- Early evidence suggests that high blood levels of calcium are linked to a reduced risk of ovarian cancer. However, other early research suggests that dietary calcium intake is not linked with the risk of ovarian cancer.
Nerve damage caused by the anticancer drug oxaliplatin-. Research on the effects of calcium on nerve damage caused by oxaliplatin is mixed. Some research shows that giving a calcium and magnesium into the vein reduces nerve pain caused by this drug. But other research shows that it has no benefit.
Depression after pregnancy (postpartum depression).- Early research suggests that taking calcium daily, beginning 11-21 weeks into pregnancy, reduces depression at 12 but not 6 weeks after delivery.
Pregnancy-related leg cramps. Early research shows that calcium can help prevent leg cramps in the second half of pregnancy. In a randomized test A greater proportion of women receiving calcium experienced no leg cramps after treatment compared to women who did not receive any treatment, however another measure of improvement showed no difference between the groups. However, more research is needed in this regard.
Prostate cancer.- Research about how calcium affects the risk of prostate cancer has shown conflicting results. Some research suggests that taking calcium supplements daily decreases the risk of prostate cancer. However, other research suggests that there is not a link between calcium intake and the risk for developing prostate cancer.
Seizures. -Early research suggests that calcium might help control seizures resulting from sudden drops in blood levels of calcium.
Lyme disease.
So here we see that how calcium can be associated with plethora of functions in human body and its general well-being. Hope you enjoyed this part. Stay tuned for next. Share with family and friends.
