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

Community
Kidney, Urinary, Gastro Intestinal, Liver
Cancer
Muscle, Bone and Joint (earlier named Arthritis)
Condition
Cancer
Chronic Kidney Disease
Osteoporosis
Changed
Tue, 06/13/2017 - 19:43

Stories

  • Stock pic of a woman in blue top and grey slacks applying a nicotine replacement patch
    Try Nicotine Patch to Help You Quit Smoking
    Dr Rajam Iyer, pulmonologist and palliative care physician, gives us an overview of Nicotine Replacement Therapy, a treatment to help people quit smoking, and strongly recommends its promotion among smokers and the need to test it for smokeless tobacco (bidi) users. What is Nicotine Replacement Therapy? Nicotine replacement therapy is a treatment that smokers can benefit from. As smokers are addicted to the nicotine in cigarettes, that causes physical dependence, NRT helps in controlling the…
  • Canshala - Bringing School and Normalcy To Children with Childhood Cancer
    Children who are out of town patients often miss school for months on end. This affects the child socially and psychologically and often makes reintegration back to school difficult. Dr. Shital Raval visits Canshala which helps bridge that gap by providing continuity of education and normalcy to a child’s life. Set in a Municipal Marathi school in Parel, Canshala is a school for children with cancer, run in collaboration with the Mumbai MCGM. In contrast to the drab exterior, Canshala is a…
  • An elderly and spectacled couple Mr Pranab Basu in a blue striped shirt with his wife in an orange blouse and a cream sari
    Palliative Treatment Ensures Good Quality of Life
    Mr Pranab Kumar Basu shares his experience of being the sole caregiver of his wife, who had metastastic colon cancer, and how he succeeded in keeping her mentally strong and cheerful till the end. I have been the sole caregiver for my wife who was suffering from cancer. My wife was under the treatment at the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, from July, 2015. She battled for nearly 2 years and 6 months. She finally succumbed to it in October 2017. She was a victim of metastatic colon cancer. The…
  • What is Metastasis?
    You may have heard people refer to a ‘metastatic cancer' or  say that ‘cancer has metastasized’ or is ‘in Stage 4’. But what does that really mean. Dr. Shital Raval explains.  What is Metastasis? Metastasis is a term for when cancer has spread to a different part of a body from where it first originated. Because metastatic cancer is more difficult to control and treat, it is categorized as the last stage or Stage IV. How does Metastasis happen? This happens when cancer cells break…
  • Stock pic showing Knee Pain
    Slowing Down to Speed Up Wellbeing
    Kajal* had been active and careful about her lifestyle. When she experienced weight loss and started having knee pain she went through a series of tests and specialist doctors. Not satisfied with the solutions presented, she pro-actively looked at various complementary therapies to find solutions and made some surprising findings. I’ve always been thin and active. When I hit thirty, alerted by my parents’ health problems, I switched to a healthy lifestyle. I ate wholegrain foods, healthy fats,…
  • Sandeep is an Ewing Sarcoma survivor and is currently a Patient Navigator. Here he is sitting in a colourful play room for children with cancer
    Diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma At The Age of 12
    Sandeep, 25 was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma at 12 years of age.  He saw his father cry quietly in the bathroom. Nobody told him what to expect.  His experience motivated him to work with cancer patients as a Patient Navigator at Cankids. And 5 tips for children facing cancer. I am a Ewing Sarcoma survivor! I was diagnosed at the age of 12.5 years. Early symptoms In September 2006, I started getting pain and some swelling in my right upper arm. Initially I never told anyone because I…
  • Smriti wearing a black dress relaxing on a chair and looking at the camera as she talks about her abdominal cancer
    I Had No Fear And Was Ready To Face What Came
    Smriti, 50 from Mumbai was diagnosed with cancer for the second time. The hospital nurse referred to her as the most cheerful patient in the ward. PatientsEngage spoke to her to find out her mantra for a positive attitude. Please tell us a bit about your condition  A. I was recently diagnosed with abdominal cancer. When were you diagnosed? A. My diagnoses came in January 2018. What were the early symptoms? What made you go see a doctor? A. It all started in August 2017…
  • A couple, a woman on a wheel chair with a man standing attentively next to her, both looking into the woods with the sun streaming through
    We Lost the Soul of Our Family to Cancer
    It has been almost three years since his wife passed away, but the void is hard to reconcile. In an emotional piece, Mario recounts the day when his wife Cheryl was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer, and how family and friends rallied together to make her comfortable and happy in her last days. I first met my wife around Oct 84 in a church in Lucknow and after wooing her to hell and back married her in Oct 85. As a family we had our ups and downs but I daresay we had a beautiful…
  • Image: A woman holding her head in the background and a doctor looking at a brain scan showing brain tumour
    New Technologies Help in Brain Tumour Treatment
    Nearly 50% of brain tumours detected are cancerous. While advances in immunological and genetic testing will make early detection possible, your biggest wall of armour will be leading a healthy life, emphasizes Dr. Mohinish Bhatjiwale, consultant neurosurgeon at Nanavati Hospital. What are the most common symptoms of brain tumour? The most common symptoms of brain tumour is headache, unremitting headache associated with vomiting and blurred vision, weakness of any one side. What percentage of…
  • Image of Pavithra, a brain tumor survivor in a green dress with her husband in black and son
    A Brain Tumor Need Not be Life-Threatening
    Pavithra Sakthivel, who had severe headaches and a seizure, was diagnosed with Grade 3 malignant brain tumor. But she recovered quickly in six months. Find out about the treatment and surgical options that worked for her.    I am a 36 year old teacher and an Education Specialist. I was leading a happy, healthy life with my husband and cute 6 year old son till January 2017. Trouble began when I started getting headaches. Initially, they were appeared routine, but grew in frequency and…