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.

Calcium is an important mineral found throughout the body. It is important for bone health, cell communication, blood clotting, muscle contraction, and nerve cell function. Ionized serum calcium is the biologically active form of calcium in the blood.

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and one of the most important. Our bodies use calcium to build and fix bones and teeth, help nerves work, make muscles contract, aid in blood clotting, and to help our heart beat. That being said, almost all of the calcium in our bodies is stored in the bones (99%). Typically, our bodies carefully regulate the amount of calcium in the bloodstream. When levels are low, our bones release calcium. When levels are too high, our bones absorb the excess calcium or it is excreted through stool and urine. Factors that determine the amount of calcium in your body include: diet, phosphate levels, how much calcium and vitamin D your intestines absorb, and certain hormones (parathyroid hormone, calcitonin, and estrogen). It is critical to get the right amount of calcium in your diet because the human body loses calcium everyday. This is particularly true for pregnant women. The process of creating a baby requires a large amount of calcium. Frequently, the needed calcium will be taken from the mother’s bones during fetal development. This can put mothers at an increased risk for conditions like osteoporosis (brittle bones) in their older age.

Calcium, Total (RBCs) measures the level of calcium inside red blood cells (RBCs), providing insight into long-term calcium status at the cellular level. This test differs from a standard serum calcium test, which reflects extracellular calcium levels that are tightly regulated by hormones such as parathyroid hormone (PTH) and vitamin D.

Why Is This Test Important?

Calcium is a crucial mineral for:

• Bone health and density
• Muscle contraction and relaxation
• Nervous system function
• Blood clotting
• Enzyme activity and metabolic processes

A calcium in urine test measures the amount of calcium in your urine. Calcium is one of the most important minerals in your body. You need calcium for healthy bones and teeth. Calcium is also essential for proper functioning of your nerves, muscles, and heart. Almost all of your body's calcium is stored in your bones.

The Calcium/Albumin Ratio is a calculated value derived from total calcium and albumin levels on a Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP). It provides insights into the balance between calcium, a critical mineral for bone health and cellular function, and albumin, a protein that affects calcium availability in the bloodstream.

The Calcium/Copper (Ca/Cu) ratio in hair mineral analysis provides valuable insights into your mineral balance and overall metabolic function. This ratio reflects the dynamic interaction between calcium, a structural and regulatory mineral, and copper, an essential trace element crucial for enzymatic and metabolic processes.