Calcium and Imbalances in the Bloodstream

Imbalances in the bloodstream are not caused by excessive or insufficient intakes of calcium, but rather the malfunction of one or more specific regulatory organs. This list includes:

Thyroid – Secretion of calcitonin lowers the levels of calcium and phosphate in the blood and promotes the formation of bone by inhibiting osteoclasts (the cells that decrease bone density) and stimulating osteoblasts ( the cells that build new bone)

Parathyroid – Secretes parathormone also known as PTH, that acts to increase the calcium level in the blood. It stimulates the action to release calcium from bone to achieve this.

Kidney – Blood calcium measuring mechanism, directed by hormones, to maintain proper blood calcium levels.

Intestines – the site of calcium absorption from the diet via action from regulating hormones.

Organ malfunction can occur as a result of mineral imbalances or high levels of toxins. It is estimated that the average adult absorbs only 25% of the calcium ingested from food or supplements. The RDA of calcium for an adult is 1000 to 1200 mg per day.

Absorption levels vary and RDA’s are an arbitrary average. We are paying for a lot of useless calcium supplements and today, most Americans (about 80% or more) have high levels of tissue calcium. This is because we are artificially overconsuming this mineral. We optimally obtain calcium from green leafy vegetables and grains. The consumption of large amounts of dairy products is a very recent phenomena. Calcium supplementation is even more recent — about the last 40 to 50 years. Both of these trends are creating tissue calcium imbalances.

Osteoporosis as a prevalent nutrient deficiency symptom has only become a major issue in the last 40 to 50 years as well. Could it be that excessive calcium supplementation actually promotes Osteoporosis? Perhaps a lack of bioavailable essential minerals, especially silica, to balance the calcium is the problem. Think about this… where does a cow get the calcium needed to produce calcium-rich milk? The answer is grass and grains, with a majority coming from grass. Where does a hen get all the calcium to lay an egg every day or so? Certainly not from calcium supplements, dairy products, or even grass. The hen is eating mica most of the day as it pecks at the soil looking for worms and insects, with a few seeds thrown in for variety. Somehow, that hen can convert the silica from the mica into calcium in a process called transmutation (an organic form of alchemy).

As a human, one must be aware of their calcium status and the status of all their minerals. If one eats a good amount of fresh, green produce and organic foods, they are probably getting plenty of calcium. On average we get 400 to 500 mg a day of organic calcium from our diet. If your diet consists primarily of processed foods, you are not getting enough calcium into your cells and are most likely nutrient deficient in many other areas. It is important to be aware of your body’s need for calcium, but also understand that you must have proper amounts of silica to ensure that the calcium is being utilized and managed properly.
 

Calcium Interactions

Calcium absorption can be impaired by excessive intake of phosphorus from soda drinks. Other things that may impede calcium absorption are:

• Excess dietary fat

• Excess fiber

• Caffeine

• Sugar

• Aspartame

• High protein foods

Excess calcium may interfere with zinc, and fluorine absorption and can upset the delicate balance of bone calcium absorption and resorption taking calcium from bone tissue and depositing it into soft tissue. It is important to consider that, as a society, our dairy product consumption is at an all-time high and is still supplementing with high doses of calcium, yet skeletal disorders are increasing. We may be impacting our health with excessive calcium consumption.

In Good Health,
Rick Wagner, M.S. C.N.
June 2020