Will taking calcium tablets cause "bone spurs"?

This is the 4585th article of Da Yi Xiao Hu

What is a bone spur?

"Bone spurs" are also called bone hyperplasia, clinically known as osteophytes, and often occur near joints and at the junction of bones and tendons. On X-rays, they mainly appear as protrusions with a wide bottom and a thin tip around joints or bones, like a bayonet, hence the name "bone spurs". The most common sites for "bone spurs" are the spine, knee joints, fingers, heels, etc.

Causes of bone spur formation

1. Joint wear

It is the number one cause of "bone spurs", which are mostly the result of slow degeneration and aging of the human joints, and are more common in osteoarthritis. As people age, the joint cartilage surface wears out during normal daily activities. In order to stabilize the joints and reduce wear, the human body produces bone hyperplasia and then forms "bone spurs", which is essentially a repair reaction after wear.

2. Trauma

The uneven joint surface caused by trauma increases the wear of the joint and causes the formation of "bone spurs". Or excessive physical exercise or heavy work in daily life may cause damage to the ligaments around the joint and bleeding under the ligaments, leading to ossification. The long-term existence of "bone spurs" may cause.

3. Joint force line is not correct

Especially for women, because of the wider pelvis, it may cause the lower limb force line to be incorrect, such as O-shaped legs or X-shaped legs, etc., abnormal local force on the joints, repeated stimulation and wear may form "bone spurs".

4. Bad living habits

If the patient is often tired or cold, "bone spurs" can also occur. Long-term bad posture causes muscle inflammatory substances to leak out, lactic acid to accumulate, abnormal cartilage metabolism, and joint degeneration. In order to relieve pain and cope with pressure, hyperplasia occurs, resulting in "bone spurs".

5. Being overweight

In obese people, because their weight exceeds the bone's bearing capacity, the articular cartilage is under long-term pressure, which accelerates wear and tear and easily causes "bone spurs".

What is calcium tablets?

Calcium is one of the most common elements in the human body. The calcium content in the human body accounts for 1.5-2% of the total body weight, and most of it is stored in the bones. Therefore, the importance of calcium to bone health is self-evident. Calcium also occupies an important position in the human body and plays an important role in human metabolism, protein hormone synthesis, etc. The main ingredients of the common "calcium tablets" for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis are calcium and vitamin D (to promote calcium absorption). A small number of "calcium tablets" do not contain vitamin D. Therefore, before taking it, you must find out whether it contains vitamin D to avoid insufficient or excessive supplementation.

The relationship between "bone spurs" and calcium

Some people say that "bone spurs" are caused by eating too much calcium and having nowhere to put it, so it is randomly placed on the bones. The fact is just the opposite. Calcium deficiency in the body may actually promote the growth of "bone spurs". Studies have found that osteoporosis may promote the development of joint degeneration. When osteoporosis exists in the bones around the articular cartilage, it will cause uneven force on the articular cartilage and destroy the local mechanical balance, which will lead to secondary "bone spurs" and cartilage damage. Long-term calcium deficiency can lead to osteoporosis, and osteoporosis may aggravate joint wear and produce "bone spurs"; for people with poor joints, reduced activity will accelerate the development of osteoporosis. When calcium is deficient, the two pathological processes often promote each other and create a vicious cycle.

At the age of 35, the human bone mass reaches its peak. Therefore, if the calcium stored before this is sufficient, it is not easy to get osteoporosis later. Since the bone mass is still relatively abundant, does it mean that calcium supplementation is not necessary? This is also wrong. In addition to bones, the human body also needs calcium in other places, such as some biochemical reactions in the body, blood, etc. If the daily dietary calcium intake is not enough, the body will adjust the calcium from the bones for use, and it will be easy to get osteoporosis over time. Therefore, eating "calcium tablets" in moderation not only helps prevent and improve osteoporosis, but also helps joint health to a certain extent, thereby indirectly reducing the formation of "bone spurs".

Side Effects of Calcium

Since calcium has so many benefits, can we take calcium without restraint? The answer is wrong. Excessive calcium supplementation also has side effects. For example, some people may experience belching and constipation after taking calcium carbonate; excessive calcium tablets may cause hypercalcemia; general "calcium tablets" add vitamin D, and long-term excessive intake of vitamin D will cause high blood calcium and high urine calcium, leading to kidney stones. Therefore, patients with kidney stones should not take calcium tablets for a long time.

Scientific calcium supplementation

Don't follow the advertisements. Increase your health knowledge and correctly understand calcium supplementation. Try to improve your diet structure to get enough calcium from natural foods. Among the daily foods in the family, those with more calcium include milk, eggs, soy products, kelp, seaweed, marine fish, vegetables, etc. The more calcium supplementation is not the better, the important thing is to see the absorption. When taking more than 200 mg of elemental calcium each time, the absorption rate will be reduced. When taking calcium-containing foods, you should consider your own physical condition and eat a reasonable and moderate diet to promote body absorption. Patients with some diseases should take calcium supplements under the guidance of a doctor.

Department of Orthopedics, Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University

Institute of Medical Science Popularization, Fudan University

Author: Lu Jiajie, Li Juan

Instructors: Dong Jian, Li Xilei