calcium
and Eva Rudolf-Müller, doctorDr. med. Andrea Reiter is a freelance writer for the medical editorial team.
More about the expertsEva Rudolf-Müller is a freelance writer in the medical team. She studied human medicine and newspaper sciences and has repeatedly worked in both areas - as a doctor in the clinic, as a reviewer, and as a medical journalist for various specialist journals. She is currently working in online journalism, where a wide range of medicine is offered to everyone.
More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.Calcium (calcium) is a vital element for the human body. It is involved in a large number of physiological processes, such as bone metabolism, the transmission of stimuli in nerve cells and blood clotting. A calcium deficiency can therefore be life-threatening. But too much calcium in the blood is sometimes dangerous. Here you can read everything you need to know about minerals and when to measure the calcium level in the blood.
What is calcium
Calcium is an essential mineral. The human body stores one to two kilograms of calcium, depending on size and gender. The vast majority of it is in the skeletal bones.
Calcium is absorbed through food. Calcium intake is increased especially during the growth phases and during pregnancy. On the other hand, the calcium requirement decreases with age.
The calcium level in the blood is regulated by hormones, by the acid-base balance, by vitamin D and by the phosphate metabolism. If calcium is needed in the blood, the mineral can be released from the bones or from the cells. At the same time, it is increasingly absorbed from the intestine. On the other hand, excess calcium can be built into the bones or excreted in the stool or urine.
When is the calcium level determined?
Calcium is determined when there is a suspicion of a deficiency or an increased level of calcium in the blood. Its concentration is also measured when there are diseases that affect calcium metabolism.
Calcium - normal values
|
Age |
Normal value for calcium (serum) |
|
Newborn |
1.75-2.70 mmol / l |
|
Infants, children |
2.05-2.70 mmol / l |
|
adult |
2.02-2.60 mmol / l |
The normal calcium values in the 24-hour urine collection are <7.5 mmol / 24h (men) and <6.2 mmol / 24h (women).
When are the calcium levels low?
A calcium level that is too low occurs, among other things, in the event of a protein or vitamin deficiency, kidney disease, hormone disorders or certain medications. Read more about calcium deficiency, its causes and typical signs here.
When are the calcium levels increased?
If the calcium levels in the blood rise, this usually means that more calcium has been released from the bones. This can make the bone structure brittle. Find out more about the causes and symptoms of hypercalcemia here!
What to do if the calcium is increased or decreased
First of all, it is important to find the cause of the changed calcium concentration in the blood. If insufficient dietary intake is the reason for a reduced calcium concentration, one should eat a diet rich in calcium. There is a lot of calcium in dairy products, for example. If another illness is the cause of increased or decreased calcium levels, this must be treated. In general, more calcium must be consumed during pregnancy and growth, as there is an increased need.
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