Calcium is essential for good health. 2% of your body weight is made up of calcium, with the average adult having 1,200 grams of calcium in their body. Healthy cell function, blood clotting, muscle contraction and metabolism are all supported by calcium. According to a 2019 article in Nutrients, calcium supports heart health by maintaining a regular heart rhythm and maintaining healthy blood pressure.
1. Weak and brittle bones
An overall loss of bone health is a hallmark of calcium deficiency. To maintain adequate calcium levels in the blood, your body will leach calcium from your bones and teeth. Calcium deficiency increases the chances of fractures and osteoporosis if left untreated.
2. You’re always exhausted
Fatigue can result from low calcium levels. According to the book ‘Hypocalcemia: Diagnosis and Treatment‘, this isn’t just tiredness — it’s a persistent feeling of weakness. Symptoms of hypocalcemia are less obvious and more long-term.
The symptoms of hypocalcemia fatigue include confusion, dizziness, lightheadedness, and brain fog. Without enough calcium, your muscles and nerves lose their calcium stores, causing exhaustion and lethargy.
3. Muscle cramps and spasms
Muscle cramps and spasms are signs of calcium deficiency. You may develop stiff, achy muscles as symptoms worsen over time (especially in the lower legs). Calcium is needed to contract and relax muscles. Muscle contractions can be painful when calcium is depleted in your muscles.
4. Your Oral Health Is Poor
Calcium deficiency can cause dental problems. Bacteria in your mouth degrade minerals in your teeth when you eat and drink. Calcium can prevent such mineral loss. Teeth are depleted of minerals if calcium levels are inadequate. According to a 2019 article published in Dentistry Journal, calcium deficiency can lead to periodontal disease (inflammation of your gums and bones surrounding your teeth), which has been linked to cancer.
5. Your Heart Rhythm Is Off
Heart health depends on calcium. A 2017 publication in Clinical Medicine Insights: Cardiology shows that irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias) are often a sign of low calcium levels in the blood. According to a 2018 Frontiers in Physiology article, heart muscle spasms when its cells don’t receive enough calcium, since the heart is a muscle. When calcium levels are low, your blood vessels become constricted, causing irregular heartbeats.
