Calcium Deficiency: Signs, Causes, and Daily Recommended Intake

Hypocalcemia or calcium deficiency, here are the signs and other details you need to know.

CALCIUM DEFICIENCY – These are the signs and symptoms of hypocalcemia or calcium deficiency in a person and how much you must take daily.

For strong bones and teeth, muscle movement, and for nerves to carry out messages between the brain and every body part, we need calcium. It is important to our overall health and there’s actually a recommended amount that we must take daily to prevent some health issues.

As per Office of Dietary Supplements, here’s your recommended calcium intake daily:

0–6 months: 200 milligrams (mg)
7–12 months: 260 mg
1–3 years: 700 mg
4–8 years: 1,000 mg
9–18 years: 1,300 mg
19–50 years: 1,000 mg
51–70 years: 1,000 mg for males and 1,200 mg for females
71 years and above: 1,200 mg

There are a lot of foods which contains an abundant amount of calcium, but sometimes, we tend to forget to include it in our meal and diet. Thus, leading to hypocalcemia or also called as calcium deficiency.

This condition is basically lack of calcium in the body which the signs and symptoms include:

confusion or memory loss
muscle spasms
numbness and tingling in the hands, feet, and face
depression
hallucinations
muscle cramps
weak and brittle nails
easy fracturing of the bones
weak nails
slower hair growth
fragile and thin skin

Typically, people who don’t usually get their daily calcium requirements are adolescent boys and girls, menopausal women, women over 50, men over 70, and vegans. In terms of preventing and addressing calcium deficiency, one must add more calcium to their diet such as greens, sardines and salmon (with bones), milk, yogurt, and tofu as per article from Health Line.

What causes this condition? Some of which are Vitamin D deficiency, chronic renal failure, magnesium deficiency, alcoholism, and among others.