A key element for bone health, calcium is one of the most abundant minerals in the human body. About 99% of it is naturally stored in the bones, but calcium is also found in muscle cells and in the bloodstream. When calcium levels drop and the body lacks it, various symptoms can occur.
In this article, you'll learn what calcium really is and how to recognize the symptoms of a deficiency. You'll also discover natural solutions to enhance calcium absorption in the body, as well as support bone formation and strength.
What exactly is calcium?
Like magnesium, calcium is a naturally occurring and widely known mineral. It belongs to the group of alkaline earth metals and is typically gray-white in color, with a hard and rough texture.
Featured in Mendeleev’s periodic table of chemical elements, calcium (symbol: Ca) carries the atomic number 20. Whether in men or women, the human body contains on average 1 to 1.2 kg of calcium.
Within the body, calcium plays a vital role, especially in bone formation and strength. To help maintain healthy bone density, calcium works in synergy with vitamin D. Without it, calcium cannot properly bind to bones.
In addition to its crucial role in bone health, calcium is essential for many other biological functions critical to overall health:
- Muscle contraction
- Blood clotting
- Hormone release
- Enzyme activation
- And more
Lastly, calcium also contributes to healthy teeth by strengthening the enamel—the outer layer that covers the crown—of these hard organs.
Calcium in Your Diet
Easily absorbed, calcium is found in a wide range of foods. Here’s a detailed list of high-calcium foods (per 100g serving):
- Cheeses: Emmental (970 mg), Comté (910 mg), Mimolette (860 mg), Tomme des Pyrénées (790 mg), Cantal (760 mg), Morbier (760 mg), and more.
- Milk: Sheep’s milk (195 mg), cow’s milk (120 mg), goat’s milk (126 mg).
- Spices: Thyme (1260 mg), cinnamon (1080 mg), cumin (931 mg), pepper (430 mg), parsley (250 mg), etc.
- Fruits: Apricot (13 mg), orange (43 mg), kiwi (34 mg), clementine (30 mg), blackberry (29 mg), dried fig (165 mg), date (29 mg), etc.
- Seaweed: Knotted wrack (1,650 mg), ao-nori (1,610 mg), ogonori (1,290 mg), sea lettuce (1,200 mg), wakame (1,000 mg), etc.
- Vegetables: Cooked spinach (240 mg), soy (220 mg), raw kale (185 mg), raw white beans (183 mg), dried fig (167 mg), arugula (160 mg), cooked rhubarb (145 mg), sun-dried tomato (110 mg), etc.
- Mineral waters (still and sparkling): Courmayeur (576 mg/L), Vittel (240 mg/L), Évian (78 mg/L), Hépar (550 mg/L), Contrex (468 mg/L), Salvetat (253 mg/L), Quézac (180 mg/L), Badoit (190 mg/L), and more.
- Shellfish: Shrimp (225 mg), scallops (176 mg), periwinkle (130 mg), etc.
+ Highly absorbable liquid form: Exceptional bioavailability (3 times that of conventional oil) thanks to the use of TCM oil, with no excipients.
+ Bioidentical vitamin D3 & patented K2-MK7 (K2Vital®): K2VITAL® is the purest form, containing at least 99.7% all-trans MK-7. K2VITAL® is the most bioavailable and stable of the K vitamins.
+ Optimised bone health, immunity & calcium: Promotes calcium absorption, strengthens the immune system and helps maintain healthy bones and teeth on a daily basis. An essential synergy for all ages.
What Are the Symptoms of Calcium Deficiency?
When calcium intake is too low, the body may experience various negative effects. These can manifest through a range of symptoms, some mild, others more serious.
Bone Loss
Hypocalcemia weakens bone structure, increasing the risk of developing osteoporosis (reduced bone strength) or osteopenia (loss of bone density and increased fragility).
Decreased bone mineral density makes bones more prone to fractures, even from minor injuries. To prevent these conditions, it’s essential to maintain adequate calcium and vitamin D intake.
It’s worth noting that after age 50, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men suffer from osteoporosis.
Muscle Cramps
Calcium plays a vital role in muscle contraction and overall muscle function. A deficiency in certain minerals—like calcium, potassium, copper, and magnesium—can lead to muscle problems, especially cramps.
Calcium deficiency disrupts the balance of minerals and electrolytes, both essential for normal muscle function. This imbalance may result in muscle cramps.
Calcium also contributes to the release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that helps nerves communicate with muscles. When calcium levels drop too low, the nerves become overly sensitive, leading to cramps.
Sleep Issues
It may be surprising, but calcium plays a key role in sleep. It’s directly linked to the different stages of rest and is essential for entering REM sleep—a deep and restorative phase of sleep.
Calcium is also vital for the production of tryptophan, an amino acid involved in the synthesis of melatonin. When calcium levels are low, it’s no surprise that hypocalcemia can disrupt normal sleep cycles and lead to insomnia.
This deficiency can also contribute to feelings of fatigue and even depression.
Brittle Nails and Dry Skin
Best known for its role in bone structure, calcium also supports the development of other body tissues, including the nails and skin. When calcium is lacking, these tissues can be indirectly affected.
Low calcium levels may impair nail growth and strength, making them fragile and prone to breakage. In fact, a study found that calcium supplementation (around 1 g/day for a year) could improve nail quality.
The skin may also suffer, becoming dry and flaky. Hair can appear dull as well when calcium levels drop.
Dental Problems
As you've seen, calcium is crucial for tooth formation and helps strengthen tooth enamel. When calcium is lacking, the risks of cavities, fractures, and other dental issues become higher.
Teeth may also experience dental hypocalcification during enamel development. This refers to a weakened tooth structure, making teeth more vulnerable to impact and to pathogens.
If the calcium deficiency persists, it can even lead to neurological symptoms like memory loss and hallucinations. Fortunately, these symptoms usually disappear once calcium levels are restored.
How to Naturally Improve Calcium Absorption?
As you've seen throughout this article, calcium is found in many different food groups — including dairy products, water, shellfish, fruits, and vegetables. So the real challenge isn't where to find calcium, but rather how to absorb it effectively.
Calcium has only a moderate absorption rate, which can be further impacted by various internal and external factors — such as lack of sun exposure, poor diet, liver disease, certain foods, and medications.
To enhance calcium absorption and its effectiveness in the body, two key vitamins stand out: vitamin D3 and vitamin K2-MK7. Together, they form a highly complementary duo with proven benefits.
Vitamin D3 plays a crucial role in maximizing calcium absorption in the digestive tract. It also supports the proper mineralization of bones, cartilage, and teeth.
Meanwhile, K2-MK7 helps stimulate osteocalcin production — a protein that binds calcium and strengthens bone matrix during skeletal growth. It also protects bone health, helping to prevent bone loss and reduce the risk of fractures, while supporting healthy bone development.
Recognizing the power of this vitamin duo, Solage Laboratories created a unique supplement combining vegan vitamin D3 and liposomal vitamin K2-MK7.
To stand out and deliver maximum value to its customers, this exclusive Solage blend is built on two major strengths:
- Ultra-absorbable liposomal formula: Thanks to a cutting-edge delivery system, this liposomal formula offers record-breaking bioavailability — up to +1284% for vitamin D3 and +3700% for vitamin K2. Designed for long-term use, the Solage formula is also pleasant to take, with natural vanilla and blood orange flavors.
- 100% vegan formula: Most vitamin D3 used in supplements comes from animal sources, typically lanolin (a natural wax found in sheep’s wool). However, vegan D3 derived from marine algae also exists. While this plant-based D3 is normally poorly absorbed compared to lanolin-based D3, the liposomal technology finally makes it highly bioavailable — making it the only truly effective way to supplement with vegan vitamin D3.
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- Nikita Jadhav, Saiprasad Ajgaonkar, Praful Saha, Pranay Gurav, Amitkumar Pandey, Vivek Basudkar, Yash Gada, Sangita Panda, Shashank Jadhav Dilip Mehta and Sujit Nair - Molecular Pathways and Roles for Vitamin K2-7 as a Health-Beneficial Nutraceutical: Challenges and Opportunities - Front Pharmacol - 2022; 13: 896920.
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