Why is Blood Calcium Level Important?

Submitted by Dr S. Patel on 13 June 2017

This time in our Health by Numbers/Medical Tests series, Dr Shital Raval takes a look at the importance of Calcium levels in the metabolic panel.

Read the previous parts on Sodium Levels, Potassium Levels and Chloride Levels

CALCIUM:

Calcium is an important component of our bones, teeth, nerve cells and organs such as heart and kidneys. A blood calcium test is ordered if there are any symptoms of any bone or neurological disorders, kidney stones etc or can be a part of a Comprehensive Metabolic Panel.

Calcium found in the body can be in free or bound state which is usually very balanced. The calcium test indicates the amount of free calcium present in the blood. Calcium is regulated by the parathyroid hormone (PTH) which is secreted by the Parathyroid glands. Increased PTH causes more calcium to be released in the blood.

If calcium is found to be abnormal, more testing is required to diagnose the underlying condition. These tests commonly include measurement of urine calcium, phosphorus, ionised calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, parathyroid hormone(PTH) and PTH related peptide. Ionised calcium test is used for patients who have lost balance of free and bound calcium; such patients either are undergoing surgery, blood loss, blood disorders, on IV fluids etc.

Calcium monitoring is needed for patients who are on calcium or vitamin D supplements, have any kidney disorders, and suffer from cancer.

The corrected total serum calcium concentration is normally 8.5-10.2 mg/dL.

Low calcium levels:

Lower than normal levels or Hypocalcemia may be due to:

  • Insufficient calcium in the diet
  • Decreased levels of vitamin D
  • Parathyroid gland abnormality such as poor functioning(hypoparathyroidism) or resistance.
  • Magnesium deficiency
  • Increase in phosphorus levels
  • Pancreatitis
  • Kidney failure

High calcium levels :

Higher than normal levels or Hypercalcemia may be due to:

  • Excess vitamin D intake
  • Increase in parathyroid function (hyperparathyroidism)
  • Cancer especially when it has spread to the bones
  • Prolonged immobility (when bones don’t bear weight, they release calcium)
  • Certain drugs such as lithium, thiazide diuretics etc
  • Kidney transplant
  • Diseases such as TB, Sarcoidosis, AIDS etc.

Foods that contain calcium :

  • Dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt.
  • Sardines with the bones
  • Vegetables like broccoli, bok choy, turnips etc.
  • Dark greens like spinach, kale, watercress, collard greens etc.

Read the previous parts on Sodium Levels, Potassium Levels and Chloride Levels

Changed
13/Jun/2017
Community
Kidney, Urinary, Gastro Intestinal, Liver
Cancer
Muscle, Bone and Joint (earlier named Arthritis)
Condition
Cancer
Chronic Kidney Disease
Osteoporosis

Stories

  • Inflammation
    Inflammation has been linked to a slew of diseases – from allergies to cancer, heart trouble, bowel problems and diabetes. What is it and how can we protect ourselves. - By paediatrician and family practitioner Dr Gita Mathai. What is inflammation? The word is derived from the Latin “inflammo” meaning ignite or set alight. It conjures up visions of fire, and it is the body’s response to an injury, like a broken bone, a scrape in the skin or an infection by an organism (…
  • Parents deny girls cancer treatment, say doctors
    Cancer Institute chairperson Dr V Shanta expressed concern over underreporting of cancer among children, especially in rural areas. Advances in oncology over the past six decades have ensured that up to 75 % of all paediatric cancers can be cured. While it is possible to treat all pediatric cases in the country, there is a need to increase affordability and accessibility for the same," she said. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Chennai/Parents-deny-girls-cancer-treatment-say-doctors…
  • Chemotherapy explained in Hindi
    Do not fear Chemotherapy ! Understand Chemotherapy and how to deal with it. A great video in Hindi by SanjeevaniLifeBeyondCancer  
  • Novel Immunotherapy Vaccine Decreases Recurrence in HER2 Breast Cancer Patients
    Women with breast cancer tumors that overexpress human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) may benefit from a novel vaccine to prevent recurrence A new breast cancer vaccine candidate, (GP2), provides further evidence of the potential of immunotherapy in preventing disease recurrence. One of only a few vaccines of its kind in development, GP2 has been shown to be safe and effective for breast cancer patients, reducing recurrence rates by 57%. Further, women with the highest overexpression…
  • My cancer doesn't define who I am
    "I was originally diagnosed with locally advanced cancer, so that means it's advanced within in the chest. Mine was triple negative. It's the most aggressive form of cancer," she said. Her breast cancer diagnosis came in 2008. She found out about her metastatic breast cancer in January 2011, at 33 years old. "Two and half years after my original diagnosis, I found another lump," she said as she held back tears. "It varies from person to person. But my experience has been a bit of a roller…
  • Heal Your Cancer
    Don’t fight cancer, heal it by attending to body, mind and spirit, says surgical oncologist Dr Vishal Rao. A child developing from an embryo in a mother’s womb is, in reality, a set of rapidly multiplying cells. But they are controlled and regulated. So, we choose to ‘love’ those cells. But when another set of cells multiply rapidly within our body, albeit haphazardly, we call it ‘Cancerous’! These cells are not foreign cells that have made an appearance from outside,…
  • CKD Overview
    Chronic Kidney Disease: An Overview
    What is Chronic Kidney Disease or CKD? Chronic Kidney Disease is a condition characterised by gradual loss of kidney function over a period of time (months to years). It is also known as Chronic Renal Disease. It is the work of the kidneys to remove waste products and excess fluids from the body through urine. They also balance the levels of salt, potassium and acid in the body. If the kidneys don’t function adequately, wastes can build up in the blood, progressing to…
  • Osteoporosis overview
    Osteoporosis
    is a common condition, usually seen in the elderly, of diminished bone mass and low bone weight, which leads to fragile bones. Bones are living tissue constantly being broken down and rebuilt by the body. During childhood and youth, you form new bone faster than you lose old bone. Between the ages of 18 and 30, you reach peak bone mass. As people age, bone loss increases. Osteoporosis occurs when the body doesn’t create enough new bone to keep up with the absorption or…
  • Mayo Clinic partners with IBM to match Cancer Patients with Clinical Trials
    Mayo Clinic unveiled today a partnership with IBM to harness the power of its Watson supercomputer to match patients with the right clinical trials. Starting early next year, Watson will initially enroll patients with breast, colorectal and lung cancers based on eligibility. There are 170,000 ongoing clinical trials around the world, however, according to the Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation, only 6% are completed on time. Enrolling patients in the…
  • FDA approves first use of novel immune system drug for cancer
    This new class of drugs unleashes the body's immune system to fight tumors. This seems to solve a century-old mystery of how cancerous cells manage to evade the body's immune system. The drug which Merck will sell under the name of Keytruda was approved by patients with advanced melanoma who have exhausted other therapies.  http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/05/business/merck-wins-approval-of-novel-immune-system-drug-for-cancer.html?emc=eta1