Role Of Calcium In Human Body

Calcium and its role in the human body 

CALCIUM AND ITS ROLE IN HUMAN BODY 

ABSTRACT 

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body which helps in muscle contraction, oocyte activation, building strong bones and teeth, blood clotting, nerve impulse, transmission, regulating heartbeat, and fluid balance within cells. Bones and teeth contain approximately 99% of calcium. 

calcium is found in both plant and animal products. The requirements are greatest during the period of growth such as childhood, during pregnancy when breastfeeding.

Long term calcium deficiency can lead to osteoporosis in which the bone deteriorates and there is an increased risk of fractures. Eating a well-balanced diet can provide all the necessary nutrients and help prevent calcium deficiency.

INTRODUCTION 

The group IIA of the periodic table are the alkaline earth metals: beryllium (Be), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), and radium (Ra).  All the non-metallic substances are insoluble in water and unchanged by five was called earth. Limes and magnesia showed alkaline reactions hence alkaline earth. The name calcium is derived from Latin word which means lime was known as early as the first centuries when the ancient Romans prepared lime as CaO. 

PROPERTIES 

Calcium is a fairly soft metal with a shiny silver surface when the first cut. The surface quickly becomes dull as calcium reacts with oxygen to form a coating of white or gray calcium oxide. The tensile property of calcium metal is greatly affected by impurities and in the pure form by the methods of fabrication. Calcium metal work upon mechanical possessing. Bulk calcium is soft, crystalline metal.  Calcium is the cheapest of alkaline earth metals but more expensive than Sodium.

ISOTOPES

Calcium has four stable isotopes 40Ca, 42Ca, 46Ca, and 48Ca that have such long half-lives that for all

practical purposes.

PHYSIOLOGICAL ROLE 

It plays an important role in a variety of physiological functions including structural (skeletal and teeth) and signaling functions (muscle contraction, nerve impulse conduction, hormone and enzyme secretion, and as a secondary messenger in several pathways). The daily body requirement is about 450 mg. In the adult, the requirement of calcium is higher than the younger person because of various age-related changes. 

During pregnancy and lactation, there is greater depletion of Ca from the mother and the intake needs to be increased. On average, 10 mg per Kg of body weight per day should be sufficient. Growing children would require from 40 to 60 mg per day. Cow’s milk contains 0.126% of Ca.

Calcium is essential in maintaining the total body health of a person. Your body needs it every day not just to keep your bones and teeth strong over your lifetime but to ensure the proper functioning of muscles and nerves. Ca deficiency is usually due to an inadequate intake of Ca when blood Ca levels drop too low, the vital mineral is borrowed from the bones.

Calcium plays an important role to maintain some important body functions such as:

i) Ca controls nerve excitability. The effect is mainly on the peripheral neuromuscular mechanism. Fibrillary twitching can be produced by perfusing a muscle with Ca free fluid. Automatic ganglia also become hyperirritable.

ii) It is necessary for the maintenance of the integrity of the skeletal muscles. An increase in the ionized Ca results in an increase in contractility and vice versa.

iii) It is very essential for maintaining the tone and contractility of the heart. Ca is antidotal to the depressant action of K.

iv) It aids rennin in the coagulation of milk in the stomach.

v) It is essential for the clotting of blood. It decreases cellular permeability. It is therefore used in allergic conditions.

CALCIUM DEFICIENCY 

Calcium deficiency is a condition in which the body has an inadequate amount of calcium. Calcium must be ingested daily and absorbed effectively in order to maintain optimal health. High dietary calcium intake is necessary for infants, children, and adolescents in order to promote bone growth 

Types of calcium deficiency :

 Dietary calcium deficiency is a condition in which there is an inadequate calcium intake, which can lead to depleted calcium stores in the bones, thinning and weakening of the bones, and osteoporosis.

 Hypocalcemia is a low level of calcium in the blood. It can occur from taking medications, such as diuretics; medical treatments; or disease processes, such as renal failure or hypoparathyroidism.

 Hypercalcemia is suspected to occur in approximately 1 in 500 adults in the general adult population. Like hypocalcemia, hypercalcemia can be non-severe and present with no symptoms, or it may be severe, with life-threatening symptoms. Hypercalcemia is most commonly caused by hyperparathyroidism 

SIGN OF DEFICIENCY OF CALCIUM 

Sign no.1: Muscle Cramping 

One of the first signs of a deficiency is a nervous affliction called tetany, which is characterized by muscle cramps, numbness, and tingling in the arms and legs. Muscle Cramping can be an early sign that you are developing a calcium deficiency. These types of cramps generally occur at night, especially in the legs

Sign no.2: Dry Skin and Brittle Nails 

A common calcium deficiency sign can be seen in your skin and your nails. When your skin becomes dry and your fingernails become brittle (break easily), you could be lacking from calcium. If these symptoms are present, you may also want to check to see if your teeth are becoming yellow. The teeth and the bones can be severely affected by a lack of calcium.

Sign no.3: Increased PMS Symptoms

A woman may begin to experience more cramping or a change in her menstrual flow if she is suffering from a calcium deficiency. Adding more calcium to a diet may ease these symptoms.

Sign no.4: Bone Fractures or Breakage

 If you begin to suffer from several small bone fractures or full bone breakage, you should really evaluate the amount of calcium in your diet. This is a severe symptom of calcium deficiency. Calcium is needed to build bones and to.

FOOD SOURCE OF CALCIUM 

ABSORPTION OF CALCIUM AND HORMONE

Absorption depends upon the presence of adequate amounts of Vitamin D, which works with the

parathyroid hormone to regulate the amount of calcium in the blood. If the intake of calcium is too high, magnesium levels also need to be high. Too little magnesium results in calcium accumulations in the muscles, heart, and kidneys. Too much calcium can interfere with the functions of the nervous and muscular systems. 

CALCIUM AND ITS ROLE IN HUMAN BODY