Excess Calcium Symptoms : Signs, Causes, and Health Risks Explained

Symptoms and complications of excess calcium

People with a slight increase in calcium may not show any symptoms, but in more severe cases of high calcium in the blood, the patient may show the following symptoms and complications :

General problems : such as headaches and fatigue.
Problems with bones and muscles : in many cases, the cause of excess calcium in the blood is its filtration from the bones, which makes them weak and causes pain in them, and muscle weakness.
Heart problems : high levels of calcium can lead to high blood pressure and irregular heartbeat.
Kidney problems : such as the intensity of thirst and frequent urination, where increased calcium levels are associated with an increase in the work of the kidneys, which leads to frequent urination and thus dehydration and increased thirst, and high calcium in the blood causes some other problems in the kidneys, such as :
- The formation of kidney stones, which are small stones consisting of salts and minerals in the urine, and severe pain is one of the most common symptoms of kidney stones.
- Pain in the flank, which is on one side of the body in the upper abdomen and back.
Psychological problems : high levels of calcium in the blood may lead to some psychological problems, such as :
- Memory loss.
- Depression.
- Confusion is defined as an impairment in the process of concentration or difficulty thinking and acting.
- Dementia is defined as a mental disorder in which memory, thinking, and behavior deteriorate, and cause an inability to perform daily activities.
Digestive problems : high levels of calcium in the blood may lead to some digestive problems, such as :
- Nausea.
- Pain in the abdomen.
- Loss of appetite.
- Constipation.
- Vomiting.

An overview of high calcium in the body

High levels of calcium in the blood are diagnosed when the concentration of calcium in the blood serum exceeds 10.4 milligrams per deciliter, or when the concentration of ionized calcium in the blood increases to more than 5.2 milligrams per deciliter, and parathyroid hormone levels are checked during the process of diagnosing high levels of calcium in the blood, and it is worth noting that high calcium in the blood hinders normal body functions, and it may also be dangerous to the point of threatening human life.

Causes of excess calcium

Calcium levels in the blood are usually regulated by parathyroid hormones, where excess calcium is excreted outside the body by the kidneys, but an excess of calcium in the blood may occur for several reasons, the most important of which are the following :

Having some health problems : such as parathyroid problems or hyperthyroidism of parathyroid hormone, which is the most common cause, or the problem of adrenal insufficiency, or the problem of acromegaly, or cancer.
Dehydration : dehydration causes a temporary increase in blood calcium, as a decrease in the amount of fluid in the blood leads to an increase in the concentration of calcium in it, not an increase in the amount of calcium.
The use of some medications : such as drugs that can interfere with the process of regulating the level of calcium in the blood, or that may cause damage to bones and some tissues, which increases the excretion of calcium from them to the blood, in addition to diuretics such as thiazide diuretics, lithium, and excessive intake of vitamin D, vitamin A, or calcium.

Diagnosis of excess calcium in the body

High calcium in the blood may not be accompanied by any symptoms, so the patient may not know about his injury until he performs routine blood tests that reveal the levels of calcium and parathyroid hormone in the blood, thus diagnosing whether the person suffers from hyperthyroidism, and to determine the causes of hypercalcemia, the treating doctor may conduct imaging examinations of the patient’s bones and lungs.

Ways to Reduce Excess Calcium in the Body

The treatment used to reduce calcium levels in the blood depends on the degree and cause of these high levels, people with a slight rise in calcium levels in the blood may need to monitor their condition continuously without the need for treatment, and estrogen can be used as a treatment for mild cases of hypercalcemia in women in menopause, and people with increased levels of parathyroid hormone in the blood may need surgery to remove the parathyroid gland. Thyroid is the cause of this, and in general, there are four main strategies used to get rid of excess calcium in the body, which are as follows :

Reduce the absorption of calcium in the intestine.
Increased excretion of calcium in the urine.
Reduce the rate of calcium excretion from the bones.
Removal of excess calcium by hemodialysis.

Maximum allowable calcium

The following table shows the maximum allowable amount of calcium per day for different age groups :

Age Group	Upper limit of calcium (mg)
Infants from birth to 6 months of age	1000
Infants 7 to 12 months old	1.500
Children from one to 8 years old	2.500
Children from 9 to 18 years old	3000
Persons aged 19 to 50 years	2.500
People aged 50 years and above	2.500
Pregnant women from 9 to 18 years old	3000
Lactating women from 9 to 18 years old	3000
Pregnant women from 19 to 50 years old	2.500
Lactating women from 19 to 50 years old	2.500

The importance of calcium

Calcium is one of the main nutrients in the diet, as it is important for building bones and teeth, maintaining their health and strength, and it is also important for regulating the heartbeat, sending nerve impulses through the nervous system, blood clotting, and other important functions and benefits for the body.