Five groups of people are prone to calcium deficiency. Can blood calcium test determine calcium deficiency? How to supplement calcium correctly?

Author: Qu Tiebing, Chief Physician, Beijing Boai Hospital, China Rehabilitation Research Center

Deputy Director of the Joint Surgery Group of the Orthopedics Branch of the Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Zhao Yu, Chief Physician, Peking Union Medical College Hospital

I often hear people say that leg cramps must be caused by calcium deficiency; osteoporosis, the doctor told me to take calcium supplements; children are growing and need calcium...

Calcium supplementation is a topic that has been talked about for a long time because many people are calcium deficient.

Calcium deficiency refers to insufficient calcium in the bones, not serum calcium.

So, who is prone to calcium deficiency?

1. Who is prone to calcium deficiency?

First, people with high calcium needs, such as children who need to grow taller and pregnant women who need to provide extra calcium for their babies in their bellies, have increased calcium needs.

Second, people who don’t get much sun exposure, such as indoor workers, underground workers, etc. Sun exposure helps synthesize vitamin D, which helps calcium absorption. Without vitamin D, calcium is not easily absorbed and transferred to bones.

Third, obese people. Many obese patients tend to suffer from osteoporosis because obese people have better digestive tract function and eat a lot of fish and meat. There is a saying that "fish and meat eat up calcium". Fish and meat are broken down into amino acids, which combine with calcium ions in the gastrointestinal tract and then excreted, reducing calcium absorption. In addition, obese people have decreased levels of male hormones. Male hormones can help transfer calcium ions to bones. If there is less male hormone, this function will not be achieved, and the calcium in the bones will also decrease accordingly.

Fourth, people with gastrointestinal diseases and those who are bedridden for a long time have difficulty in calcium absorption.

Fifth, the elderly. The gastrointestinal absorption function of the elderly is not very good, and lack of exercise can easily lead to calcium deficiency.

The above five groups of people are more likely to suffer from calcium deficiency.

So, what tests can be used to determine whether one is calcium deficient? Can blood calcium tests be used to determine whether one is calcium deficient?

2. Can checking blood calcium determine whether you are calcium deficient?

Can't.

Blood calcium only represents the level of calcium in the serum at the time of blood draw. More than 90% of the calcium in the body is in the bones. If the calcium in the bones is decomposed, the first stop is to flow into the serum, and the serum calcium will increase. If the serum calcium is increased, it means that the calcium in the bones has been released. What should be checked for calcium deficiency is the calcium in the bones, not the blood calcium.

To check whether bones are lacking in calcium, you need to measure bone density and use a bone densitometer to check the degree of bone porosity to reflect whether there is calcium deficiency.

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When a checkup reveals that you are calcium deficient, how do you supplement calcium?

3. How to supplement calcium correctly?

You must take in calcium. You cannot not take it. You should eat foods high in calcium, or take calcium supplements. These will promote calcium absorption, and then transfer the calcium ions absorbed in the blood to the bones. This will have the effect of supplementing calcium. Therefore, you must complete these three steps to supplement calcium.

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Everyone can take calcium, but how to absorb and transfer it well requires guidance from professionals.

For example, when supplementing calcium, try to avoid eating too much meat and fish. After the meat is broken down into amino acids, it combines with calcium ions and is excreted from the body, affecting calcium absorption. It does not mean that you cannot eat meat, just pay a little attention to it in your daily life.

If osteoporosis is severe, in addition to sun exposure, you should take appropriate vitamin D preparations to promote calcium absorption and transfer.

Alpha D3 contains calcium and vitamin D, and is a compound preparation. In addition, there is a drug called salmon calcitonin, which can lower serum calcium. It does not excrete calcium ions, but allows serum calcium to enter the bones, reducing the decomposition of calcium in the serum. It solves these two processes. Although this drug does not contain calcium, it is actually supplementing calcium.

As for what medicine to choose, it is best to go to the hospital and let the doctor choose for you based on your own situation.

What we need to do is, first, eat calcium-rich foods; second, live a normal life; third, keep the gastrointestinal tract in a relatively good condition; fourth, and the most important one, insist on exercising and getting in touch with nature.

4. Is it better to supplement calcium before going to bed?

It is generally not good to take calcium tablets before going to bed.

Because you don't exercise when you sleep at night, after taking calcium, if you don't exercise, it is easy for calcium to be synthesized prematurely, causing gastrointestinal reactions. Calcium is easily deposited on the blood vessel walls, causing vascular sclerosis, so it is best to supplement calcium during the day.

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Should calcium tablets be taken before or after meals?

It depends on what kind of calcium it is. Pure calcium gluconate is easier to decompose and absorb. When you are on an empty stomach and there is stomach acid, it may combine with stomach acid and settle in the stomach, resulting in less absorption.

Nowadays, many calcium supplements are complex calcium, which are combined with some organic compounds. The calcium will be slowly absorbed after ingestion. It can be eaten on an empty stomach or after a meal, and the impact is not too great.

Calcium supplementation is a very common thing, but many people do not use the correct method to supplement calcium. Blindly supplementing calcium not only has no effect, but is also harmful to the body.

We must supplement calcium scientifically, reasonably and correctly, which will be beneficial to our health.