Most people likely suffer from calcium deficiency, and their nerves pay the price. Calcium, a powerful electrolyte, has many essential roles in the body, including maintaining proper nerve function.
How Calcium Supports Nerve Function
Approximately 40-50% of people over 60 suffer from calcium deficiency. Furthermore, up to 50% of menopausal women and 30% of healthy people under 60 suffer from it.
Most people have no idea they are deficient, and it sabotages their nervous system from the inside out.
Most scientific articles classify calcium as an electrolyte because it carries an electric charge that helps regulate many physiological processes, such as the following functions:
Calcium as a Gatekeeper
Calcium is responsible for nerve signal transmission, making it a gatekeeper. When a nerve needs to transmit a signal, calcium ions flow into the nerve cell, opening the gate for the electrical signal to pass to the next cell.
The transmission is essential for sensations, muscle movement, and communication between brain neurons and nerves throughout the body.
Calcium for Muscle Contraction
Calcium supports all muscle contraction in the body, including the heart and skeletal muscles. Without enough calcium, muscle contractions become weak or uncoordinated, leading to cramps and spasms.
Causes of Calcium Deficiency in Adults
There are many things that can cause a calcium deficiency including:
Chronic Diseases
Chronic diseases can impair the absorption of calcium into cells. These diseases include,
- Acid reflux (GERD)
- Diabetes
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Kidney disease
- Pancreatitis
- Hormonal Imbalances from menopause
There are other diseases that can cause a calcium deficiency but these are the most common ones.
Vitamin D Deficiency
40% of the population struggles with low vitamin D levels. Lower levels lead to limited calcium absorption from the diet, even with healthy diets with sufficient calcium.
Furthermore, you should always aim to keep vitamin D at optimum levels, not just within range. The optimum levels are between 60 and 100 ng/mL.
Aging
The aging process can result in low calcium levels. As people age, their intestines struggle to absorb calcium, primarily because of reduced gastric acid production. But aging is not the only culprit.
Acid reflux medications also decrease gastric acid secretion, diminishing calcium absorption from your food or supplement.
In addition to the natural aging process, many medications, such as diuretics (water pills), corticosteroids (prednisone or cortisone), medications used for acid reflux or GERD (such as proton pump inhibitor including Prilosec, omeprazole, Prevacid and Nexium), antibiotics (tetracycline and ciprofloxacin), and SSRI antidepressants (Prozac or Zoloft), impair calcium absorption.
Poor Diet
The standard American diet contains:
- Processed foods
- Sugar and artificial sweeteners
- Bad fats (Trans, Vegetable Oils, Highly Heated oils etc.)
While we consider this a standard American diet, it is no longer isolated to only America.
You likely have a calcium deficiency if you fall into the above categories.
Signs of Calcium Deficiency in Adults
Unfortunately, blood work cannot identify a calcium deficiency because calcium levels in the blood are tightly regulated. When your body is deficient in calcium, it pulls calcium stores from the bones or teeth to maintain normal blood levels.
The best way to identify a calcium deficiency is by examining the symptoms.
Calcium Deficiency Causes Muscle Problems
With calcium deficiencies, you commonly see muscle problems like cramps and spasms, mostly happening at night.
Low calcium causes muscle twitches or jerking. If you experience twitching, involuntary muscle movements, muscle weakness, or fatigue, you might be calcium deficient.
Calcium Deficiency Causes Nerve and Neurological Symptoms
A calcium deficiency may cause nerve and neurological symptoms. Calcium prevents peripheral nerves from becoming too excitable, preventing sensations of tingling, prickling, or numbness in fingers, toes, or the mouth.
Low calcium results in these symptoms and can affect the neurons in the brain, leading to confusion or memory loss.
Since calcium plays a role in neurotransmitter function (chemical messengers that carry communication between nerves), people with calcium deficiencies can experience irritability, mood swings, depression, or anxiety.
Calcium Deficiency Causes Heart Issues
Low calcium levels often result in heart arrhythmias, palpitations, or irregular heartbeats. Severe calcium depletion can even cause significant drops in blood pressure.
Calcium Deficiency Can Cause Bones Fractures
Furthermore, long-term calcium deficiency can result in osteopenia or osteoporosis, a reduced density in the health of bones that raises the risk of fractures.
What are the Best Sources of Calcium?
Raising calcium levels is easy.
Leafy Green Vegetables
First, increase your intake of leafy green vegetables. This is the easiest and cheapest way to elevate calcium. Collard greens contain 268 mg of calcium per cup (cooked), turnip greens have 197 mg of calcium per cup (cooked), and kale has 177 mg per cup (cooked).
Dairy and Fish Products
Furthermore, dairy and fish products are rich in calcium. I don’t recommend all dairy products, but there are a few.
- 1 cup of Greek yogurt from pasture-raised cows or goats (200-250 mg of calcium)
- 1 ounce of cheese from goat, sheep, or raw cow’s milk, such as parmesan, gruyere, swiss, cheddar, and mozzarella (200-330 mg of calcium)
- 1 can of sardines (350-400 mg of calcium)
- 3 ounces of canned salmon (180-240 mg of calcium)
For canned salmon, make sure you consume the relatively soft bones to get the majority of the calcium.
Supplements
Another way to improve calcium deficiencies is to take a supplement.
The four most common calcium supplements are calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, calcium malate, and calcium lactate. You should never consume calcium carbonate as it has the poorest bioavailability.
The best forms are:
- Calcium Citrate
- Calcium Malate
These two forms contain the highest amount of elemental calcium (actual calcium content the body can use) and have the best bioavailability. Calcium citrate is easier to absorb without food, making it a better choice for those with reduced stomach acid or older adults.
We recommend buying a calcium supplement complexed with magnesium glycinate, as the two minerals work together and should be balanced. Dr. Coppola and I usually take Calcium-Magnesium Malate by Thorne.
Lastly, always check your vitamin D levels. Otherwise, you will struggle to absorb calcium, regardless of how good your diet is.
How Much Calcium Should I Take?
Depending on your lifestyle and current condition, there are different amounts of calcium you should take.
You should take a maintenance dose of 1000 mg a day for those under age 50 and 1200 mg a day for those over 50 if the following conditions apply to you:
- Not on any medications
- Do not have peripheral neuropathy or other medical conditions we mentioned above
- Eat a healthy diet, including a lot of green vegetables (7-10 cups per day)
- Do not drink more than 24 ounces of coffee or other caffeinated beverages
- Only drink a modest amount of alcohol
- Do not smoke
If you fall into one of the above categories, you likely have a calcium deficiency and should take at least 1500 mg daily.
By focusing on calcium-rich foods, proper supplementation, and keeping an eye on your vitamin D levels, you can support your muscles and bones to feel better and live stronger. Help your nerves repair with calcium.
Struggling with Neuropathy?
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They founded the San Antonio Neuropathy Center, where they’ve successfully treated over 18,000 patients over the past two decades. Their acclaimed book, “Defeat Neuropathy Now in Spite of Your Doctor,” along with their neuropathy product line, stands as a testament to their expertise and innovative solutions.
Recognized as leading neuropathy specialists in America, Dr. Coppola and Dr. Monteiro offer a beacon of hope for those diagnosed with this challenging condition. If you or a loved one is seeking relief from neuropathy, reach out to us at 844 400-0101 or email us through our contact page – Click here.
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