Calcium, Serum

What is the normal calcium level?

Normal serum calcium level is 8.1-10.4mg/dl. This test is done on a fully automated biochemistry analyzer.

How do you test for calcium deficiency?

Calcium in the body exists in 2 forms viz. bound form (bound to proteins in the body, mainly albumin) and free form (metabolically active form). There are usually 2 blood test for calcium deficiency namely Total Calcium and Ionized calcium. In most of the conditions body maintains an adequate balance between both forms of Calcium, so testing for total calcium will give us an idea regarding body’s calcium deficiency. On few occasions, ionized calcium testing will be needed to judge the body’s calcium status. This includes chronically ill patients, low albumin levels or other protein related disorders, patients receiving any intravenous fluids or blood transfusion and scheduled for any major surgery. At times, patient is having calcium deficiency because kidneys are eliminating them. In these patients 24 hours urinary calcium testing should be done. Other additional tests needed in any patient having calcium deficiency are serum phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin D, parathyroid hormone and PTH-related peptide as all of these are closely related in maintaining calcium concentration in the body.

What are the symptoms of calcium deficiency in adults?

During early stages of calcium deficiency adult patient may not experience any kind of symptoms but as the disease progresses it can lead to osteopenia (low bone mineral density) and osteoporosis. Symptoms of severe hypocalcaemia include numbness and tingling in hands, feet and face, muscle spasm, aches and cramps, easy fatigue, leg pain, weak and brittle nails, slow hair growth, alopecia, fragile and dry skin, and CNS (central nervous system) related symptoms like confusion, dizziness, light headedness, memory loss, insomnia, hallucinations, or depression. Long standing deficiency can affect the teeth (dental problems), eyes causing cataracts and easy fractures of bone as they become brittle. Life threatening symptoms of calcium deficiency are convulsions, seizures, arrhythmias and death.

What does it mean if your calcium levels are high?

High calcium levels mean body is having excess amount of calcium than needed to perform its physiological functions. Most common cause of hypercalcemia are hyperparathyroidism (increased functioning of parathyroid gland) and cancers like multiple myeloma or metastatic cancers e.g. prostatic cancer that can spread to bones, destroy them and cause release of calcium from the bones. Other conditions causing high serum calcium levels include vitamin D intoxication, hyperthyroidism, following excess calcium supplementation, tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, HIV/AIDS prolonged immobilization, Paget disease, kidney transplant cases and treatment with thaiazide diuretics or steroid therapy.