Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal found in soil, water, and air. Plants may contain high levels; foods that tend to accumulate it include soy, rice, tobacco, sunflower seeds and leafy greens. Health problems result from cadmium exposure.

What is Calcitonin?

Calcitonin is a hormone that plays a role in regulating the level of calcium in your blood by decreasing it. 

What is a calcitonin test?

A calcitonin test measures the level of calcitonin in a sample of your blood. Calcitonin is a hormone that helps control the level of calcium in your blood. Calcitonin is made in your thyroid gland by cells called "C cells." Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland in your neck.

Where is Calcitonin produced?

Calcitonin is a hormone that is produced in humans by the parafollicular cells (commonly known as C-cells) of the thyroid gland. 

Calcitriol is the active form of Vitamin D. It is also known as 1,25(OH)2D. Calcitriol has long been known for its important role in regulating body levels of calcium and phosphorus, and in mineralization of bone.

Calcium is essential for bones and teeth, heart, nerves, muscles, and blood clotting.

Calcium is the most abundant mineral element in your body, because it is the major element in bones. Serum and red blood cell calcium, however, do not represent bone mineral content or dietary adequacy.

Although most of the body’s calcium is stored in bones, some circulates in the blood. About 40% of the calcium in blood is attached to proteins in blood, mainly albumin. Protein-bound calcium acts as a reserve source of calcium for the cells but has no active function in the body.

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, with 99% residing in bones and teeth. As a component of hard tissues, Calcium fulfills a structural role to maintain body size and act as attachments for musculoskeletal tissues.

Calcium is essential for bones and teeth, heart, nerves, muscles, and blood clotting. Calcium’s actions are as wide ranging as neuronal excitation, neurotransmitter release, innate immunity, hormonal secretion, and tone of smooth muscle cells in the vasculature, airways, uterus, gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and urinary bladder. Calcium deficiency can lead to osteoporosis. Other symptoms include musculoskeletal pain, muscle cramps, and tetany. Optimum calcium status can help prevent lead toxicity. Because calcium is high outside of the cell, calcium levels in erythrocytes are not a measurement of total body calcium status, but instead are a measure of cell membrane permeability. Erythrocyte calcium is a useful marker in the management of patients with hypertension and arrhythmias, renal failure, and even pre-menstrual syndrome. Treatment for high intracellular calcium includes magnesium, antioxidants, and fatty acids (to improve the integrity of the cell membrane).

Although 99% of calcium exists in bones and teeth, serum calcium (Ca) is of greatest clinical concern. Ca regulates transmission of nerve impulses, muscle contraction, coagulation, and numerous enzymatic reactions. The uptake and release of Ca from bone is regulated by parathyroid hormone, and serum Ca levels are inversely proportional to phosphorus levels. Low serum Ca results in muscle tetany while high Ca levels result in lowered neuromuscular excitability, muscle weakness, and other more complex symptoms. Marked variations in serum Ca may result from parathyroid gland or bone disease, poor diet/intestinal absorption of calcium (vitamin D), kidney disease, and other abnormalities.

Calcium is found in every cell throughout the body. Over ninety percent is found stored in the bones and teeth.

- Calcium is regulated by the thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal and pituitary gland. It’s use in the body is involved in maintaining the acid alkaline balance.

- It is necessary for normal blood clotting, nerve conduction, muscle contraction and relaxation, cell division, heart rate, and maintenance of the bones and teeth.

- It is a primary extra-cellular element.
- Excellent quality bioavailable calcium is lacking in the diets of most people. The main food sources are raw and organic dairy products, carrots and carrot juice and a few other vegetable sources such as nuts and seeds. However, when cows milk is pasteurized and homogenized, calcium availability declines greatly. As a result, most people are not benefitting enough from the calcium in the milk, cheese and yogurt they are consuming.

Calcium oxalate crystals are the most common cause of kidney stones — hard clumps of minerals and other substances that form in the kidneys. These crystals are made from oxalate — a substance found in foods like green, leafy vegetables — combined with calcium. Having too much oxalate or too little urine can cause the oxalate to crystalize and clump together into stones.

Kidney stones can be very painful. They can also cause complications like urinary tract infections. But they are often preventable with a few dietary changes.

Calcium oxalate crystals are the most common cause of kidney stones — hard clumps of minerals and other substances that form in the kidneys. These crystals are made from oxalate — a substance found in foods like green, leafy vegetables — combined with calcium. Having too much oxalate or too little urine can cause the oxalate to crystalize and clump together into stones.

Kidney stones can be very painful. They can also cause complications like urinary tract infections. But they are often preventable with a few dietary changes.