Deficiency, calcium

Deficiency, calcium
A low level of calcium in the blood (hypocalcemia) makes the nervous system highly irritable and causes tetany (spasms of the hands and feet, muscle cramps, abdominal cramps, overly active reflexes, etc.). Chronic calcium deficiency contributes to poor mineralization of bones, soft bones (osteomalacia) and osteoporosis; and in children, chronic calcium deficiency causes rickets and impaired growth. Calcium in the body is found mainly in the hard part of bones. Bones serve as a storage area for calcium. Calcium is added to bones by cells called osteoblasts. It is removed from bones by cells called osteoclasts. Calcium is not just essential for healthy bones. It is also important for muscle contraction, heart action, nervous system maintenance, vitamin B-12 absorption and normal blood clotting. Food sources of calcium include dairy foods, some leafy green vegetables such as broccoli and collards, canned salmon, clams, oysters, calcium-fortified foods, and tofu. Milk packs a fairly high dose of calcium: 300 milligrams in an eight-ounce glass. When children consume calcium, they absorb 75% of it into their bones. By the age of 20, this absorption drops to 30 to 50% and calcium is no longer used to build but to maintain bone density, to replace the calcium lost as the bones constantly remodel themselves. According to the National Academy of Sciences, adequate intake of calcium is 1,200 milligrams a day (four glasses of milk) for men and women 51 and older, 1,000 milligrams a day for adults 19 through 50, and 1,300 milligrams a day for children 9 through 18. The upper limit for calcium intake is 2.5 grams daily.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • deficiency — /di fish euhn see/, n., pl. deficiencies. 1. the state of being deficient; lack; incompleteness; insufficiency. 2. the amount lacked; a deficit. [1625 35; < LL deficientia, L deficient (s. of deficiens). See DEFICIENT, ENCY] Syn. 1. shortage,… …   Universalium

  • Calcium deficiency (plant disorder) — Calcium (Ca) deficiency is a plant disorder that can be caused by insufficient calcium in the growing medium, but is more frequently a product of a compromised nutrient mobility system in the plant. [cite web|title= Plant Physiology Online: 5.1… …   Wikipedia

  • Calcium deficiency — may refer to:*Calcium deficiency a plant disorder *Hypocalcaemia the presence of low serum calcium levels in the blood …   Wikipedia

  • Calcium — (pronEng|ˈkælsiəm) is the chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. It has an atomic mass of 40.078. Calcium is a soft grey alkaline earth metal, and is the fifth most abundant element by mass in the Earth s crust. Calcium is also …   Wikipedia

  • calcium levulinate — n a white powdery salt C10H14CaO6·H2O used in medicine as a source of calcium * * * [USP] a calcium replenisher, administered orally or parenterally in the treatment of calcium deficiency …   Medical dictionary

  • calcium deficiency — Inadequate supply or metabolism of calcium, the main structural element of bones and teeth. Its metabolism is regulated by vitamin D, phosphorus, and hormones (see parathyroid gland). Calcium in the blood has roles in muscle contraction, nerve… …   Universalium

  • Calcium — A mineral found mainly in the hard part of bones. Bones serve as a storage area for calcium. Calcium is added to bones by cells called osteoblasts. It is removed from bones by cells called osteoclasts. When children consume calcium, they absorb… …   Medical dictionary

  • Calcium deficiency — A low level of calcium in the blood (hypocalcemia) makes the nervous system highly irritable and causes tetany (spasms of the hands and feet, muscle cramps, abdominal cramps, overly active reflexes, etc.). Chronic calcium deficiency contributes… …   Medical dictionary

  • calcium — /kal see euhm/, n. Chem., Biol. a silver white divalent metal, occurring combined in limestone, chalk, gypsum, etc., occurring also in vertebrates and other animals, as a component of bone, skeletal mass, shell, etc., and as a necessary element… …   Universalium

  • calcium — n. a metallic element essential for the normal development and functioning of the body. Calcium is an important constituent of bones and teeth: the matrix of bone, consisting principally of calcium phosphate, accounts for about 99% of the body s… …   The new mediacal dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”