Calcium is one of 21 elements known to be essential to humans. The distribution of calcium between bone, soft tissues and extracellular fluids is regulated by parathyroid hormone and vitamin D.
Of all the calcium in the body, 99% is in the bone. The remaining 1% is mostly in the blood and other extracellular fluids. Calcium is vital for the formation of strong bones and teeth and for the maintenance of healthy gums.
It is also important in the maintenance of a regular heartbeat and in the transmission of nerve impulses. In 1883, British physician and physiologist Sydney Ringer showed that calcium was essential for myocardial contraction. Calcium lowers cholesterol levels and helps prevent cardiovascular disease.
The ionized calcium is a mineral that is critical to normal human health, playing vital roles in fertilization, metabolism, blood clotting, nerve impulse conduction, muscle contraction, structure of the bony skeleton, and cellular communication.
Intracellular calcium acts a cofactor for a variety of enzymes including isocitrate dehydrogenase, phophorylase and kinases.
In addition, calcium maintains proper cell membrane permeability, aids in neuromuscular activity, helps to keep the skin healthy, and protects against the development of preeclampsia during pregnancy, the number one cause of maternal death.
Calcium deficiency can lead to the following problems: arching joints, brittle nails, eczema, elevated blood cholesterol, heart palpitation, hypertension (high blood pressure), insomnia, muscle cramps, nervousness, numbness in the arms and/or legs, a pasty complexion, rheumatoid arthritis, rickets and tooth decay.
Deficiencies of calcium are also associated with cognitive impairment convulsions, depression, delusions and hyperactivity.
Decreased calcium concentration in blood can cause both cardiovascular disorders, such as cardiac insufficiency and arrhythmias and neuromuscular irritability, which may become clinically apparent as irregular muscle spasms called tetany.
The importance of calcium
