Calcium
Calcium is one of the minerals important for the health of the body, the most prevalent in the human body, and most of the calcium (99%) is found in bones and teeth, and the rest is in the muscles and blood and cell fluids.
Calcium is abundant in all types of milk, dairy products, leafy vegetables, fish and all seafood, oranges, nuts, especially almonds and dried figs.
Calcium-containing supplements and vitamin D supplements can also be taken together as one of the factors that help to absorb and stabilize calcium.
The importance of calcium to the holder
The pregnant woman usually needs calcium supplements in the last three months of pregnancy. The baby’s bones are formed and strengthened at that time. The fetus needs 300 mg of calcium daily for proper growth, and the pregnant needs 1000-1300 mg / day.
The lack of calcium in the blood and stock of the pregnant, this leads to problems in the health of the child, including softening the bones of the child, bowing legs, delayed teething, walking in the child, and convulsions in the nerves and muscles. The lack of calcium needs also affects the health of the pregnant woman, where there are cases of convulsions in the muscles of the body.
Causes of calcium deficiency
Lack of calcium has many reasons, including:
- Eating insufficient amounts of calcium in the daily diet, accumulating this deficiency over the days, and forcing the body to withdraw calcium from its stocks, namely bones and teeth, and thus occurs their weakness.
- Vitamin D deficiency, magnesium and phosphorus, as these substances help to absorb the body of calcium, and lack of lead to a lack of absorption of calcium, despite the intake of sufficient quantities.
- Menopause: The hormone estrogen keeps the presence of calcium in the bones, and menopause causes a decrease in this hormone and therefore lack of calcium within the bones and weakness and break.
- Aging: Naturally, aging leads to reduced body efficiency in calcium absorption.
- Hypothyroidism: The healthy thyroid gland contributes to the regulation and storage of calcium in the body, and its dysfunction and hormones lead to impaired calcium absorption and deficiency.
- Some medications have a negative effect on calcium absorption of the body, such as diuretics and chemotherapy drugs.
- Kidney failure causes lack of calcium absorption of the body.
- Blood diseases such as blood infection, sepsis, and some types of cancers such as prostate cancer and breast, as well as pancreatitis.
Symptoms of calcium deficiency
- Pregnant women may experience cramps in their legs, arms and underarms.
- Lack of calcium leads to dryness of the skin and the fragility of nails and break them.