Let’s talk Calcium! How many people do you know that once they get older they fall and break their hip or get a compression fracture? Why is this? Did you know there are several reason why people become osteoporotic. Lifestyle choices, lack of exercise, diet and being postmenopausal all contribute to bone fractures. 

Lack of Calcium

Healthy bone tissue relies on calcium and phosphate. Our bodies can not produce calcium. So therefore, we have to look to our diet to receive and use calcium efficiently. 

You can have a hormonal disorder, such as parathyroid hormone, estrogen or testosterone imbalance, that can cause a calcium and vitamin D deficiency. With that being said, a German Study saw that only about two-thirds of the population actually manage to consume enough calcium for a healthy range.  

Women who are pregnant, premenopausal, menopausal and postmenopausal should increase calcium intake due to hormones in their system and growing babies!

Signs of Calcium Deficiency

There are early signs (and not so early signs) of calcium deficiency. 

• Muscle cramps (Charlie horses)
• Skin conditions- brittle nails, dry skin, eczema, psoriasis, hair falling out
• Cavities
• Painful periods
• Mood disorders and depression
• Insomnia, fatigue, sleepiness, lack of energy
• Osteoporosis, osteopenia

What can Cause Calcium Deficiency

Several things can actually leach calcium out of your body and cause a calcium deficiency. Soft drinks and other carbonated soft drinks contain phosphoric acid, which can increase calcium excretion in your urine. Drinking one or two a month isn’t of concern, but many people drink soda DAILY! 

You lose about 6 milligrams of calcium for every 100 milligrams of caffeine ingested. So extra energy drinks, coffee, tea, soda, chocolate all can be bad for you. Moderation is key!

Smoking weakens bones! (This includes VAPING!) Smoking reduces the blood supply to the bone and tissues and the nicotine in cigarettes slows production of bone producing cells in the body. Smoking also decreases the body’s absorption of calcium and affects the balance of hormones. 

Other reasons for decreased calcium in your body if you’re “doing everything right” could be:

• Underactive parathyroid gland
• Low levels of magnesium and/or vitamin D in your body
• Pancreatitis
• Kidney failure

(The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons reports evidence that smokers older than 65 are 30 percent to 40 percent more likely to break their hips.)

Increase your Intake

Get your calcium level tested in your blood and if you smoke, vape, drink soda, or have extra caffeine you should supplement with calcium. While you’re at it, get your hormones and everything else checked as well. As we age our hormones decrease in our blood stream. So it is good to know if you are in the normal range.

Adding rich calcium foods to your diet is where you should start. Think about adding any green vegetables, tofu, sunflower seeds, almonds, oranges, sweet potatoes, navy beans, and figs. Raw milk and cheeses are also a good source of calcium. Also, a good supplement if you are a picky eater can help with your calcium intake.

Chiropractic

Chiropractic care looks at whole body health. When you see a chiropractor you should be concerned with how your body is functioning, rather than wanting to chase pains. Pain is a symptom of something that isn’t functioning properly. Whether it is from a misalignment of the spine, a vitamin deficiency, a food allergy or something else, chiropractors want to find out what the cause is. 

If you have any questions on what chiropractic can help you with give us or a chiropractor near you a call! Think about putting chiropractic into your life as a lifestyle. (Which usually only consists of once a month adjustments, keeping your diet healthy and reaching all your personal lifestyle goals.)

~Dr. Lacey~
Carder Chiropractic Clinic, INC.
El Reno, OK 73036