High Blood Calcium Symptoms

Calcium is one of the most essential nutrients required by the human body. It is essential for development and growth of bones and teeth. Calcium is found in a variety of food sources like dairy foods, fruits and vegetables. There are also several calcium supplements available in the market that can help in gaining the required amounts of calcium in children as well as adults. However, sometimes, due to consumption of excess supplements or other reasons, one might suffer from a condition known as hypercalcemia, which is marked by increased level of calcium in the body.

Hypercalcemia Causes

In minor cases, as mentioned above, having an overdose of calcium supplements is one of the most common causes of high levels of calcium in the body. Calcium supplement side effects are commonly found in people who take supplements without consulting the doctor. High calcium diet can rarely lead to hypercalcemia; however, one cannot ignore it as one of the potential causes. On the other hand, there are several other diseases and disorders that give rise to this condition. They include:

• Cancer
• Tuberculosis
• Dehydration
• Hyperactivity of parathyroid glands
• Paget's disease

Certain medications like alkaline antacids, diethylstilbestrol, diuretics and certain hormones like estrogen and progesterone also result in too much calcium in the body. Due to the above mentioned causes, the calcium in the bones gets eroded and gets mixed with the blood. High blood calcium is a severe condition that can be a symptom of severe disorders and can lead to complications.

Signs and Symptoms of High Calcium

The following are the signs and symptoms of hypercalcemia in people.

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Disorientation
• Loss of appetite
• Excessive thirst
• Frequent urination
• Constipation
• Pain in abdomen
• Pain in joints
• Fatigue
• Confusion

Due to certain diseases like cancer, the calcium in the bones gets released into the blood leading to hypercalcemia. But, at the same time, the calcium level in the bones goes down which makes the bones weak and hollow. Therefore, high blood calcium symptoms may also include bone pain, heightened risk of bone fracture, etc. In extreme cases, death may also occur as one of the severe excess calcium side effects.

High Blood Calcium Treatment

If a person is showing any of these hypercalcemia or calcium supplement side effects, s/he should consult a doctor to get the condition treated immediately. Blood and urine tests help in diagnosis of this disease. The aim of the treatment is to flush out the high calcium in urine and blood. Treatment methods include the use of medications, hormones and corticosteroids. Calcitonin is the hormone that is used to prevent the bone loss that occurs due to some of the above mentioned treatments. In case it is caused due to supplements, the doctor will try methods to get rid of the excess calcium content in the body. Secondly, the doctor will also prescribe related treatment based on the exact cause of the disease. On the other hand, medications and intravenous fluids (IV fluids) are also prescribed to treat other symptoms of the condition like nausea, vomiting, dehydration, etc.

One should note that calcium supplements should only be taken when prescribed by the doctor to prevent overdose and hypercalcemia. Lastly, the symptoms should not be ignored as they can turn life-threatening. Take care!