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You are so right. Calcium is the single factor in a lot of disease right now only no one knows it.
You might think that sugar and carbs cause diabetes but in fact, it is a problem of too much calcium in the blood stream and ( later) cells. When I first thought of this theory I was amazed to find SEVERAL medscape studies that supported it. This is how it works.
-Excess calcium that is not properly absorbed into bone remains out in the blood stream.
-Excess calcium gets into the cell and blocks the insulin receptors.
- Insulin receptors are what connects to insulin and allows the cell to let sugar in. Insulin is like a key to open the cell. The receptor is the door.
- Once these receptors are clogged, insulin resistance starts.
- After a while your blood sugar goes up because both the insulin and the sugar cannot get into the cell due to calcium blocking the receptors.
There are several studies that show high intracellular calcium is associated with insulin resistance.
Circumstantial evidence this theory is right?
- Vitamin D allows calcium to be absorbed into bone and thus not in the blood stream, it increases insulin sensitivity.
- Magnesium allows calcium to be absorbed into the bone and thus not in the blood stream, it increases insulin sensitivity.
- Vitamin K2 allows calcium to be absorbed into bone and thus not in the blood stream, it increases insulin sensitivity.
- Calcium Channel blockers (calcium channels being how calcium gets into the cells) increases insulin sensitivity.
- Type II diabeates is an age disease that slowly gets worse as you age. Perfect for the idea that a build up causes it.
Also, on the cardiac side... this spring I started suffering from Heart Palpitations. Suddenly... without warning. I never had them before and have had my heart checked. I have had an echocardiogram and EKG. They were extremely bad. We are talking all day long and some 6 hour spells. I had all the tests done and then finally looked up the exact results of my blood tests. They were told to me to be "normal". And, they were. But my calcium level was 9.9. At the very top of the upper limit. It had never been that high before in my life.
I reduced by calcium consumption.. which had inadvertently gone up... and retested... came down to normal. When it came down to normal.. the heart palpitations stopped and I haven't had them since.
How many people have heart palpitations and just think that is something they have to live with and may also have high but normal calcium.
Also, on the cardiac side... this spring I started suffering from Heart Palpitations. Suddenly... without warning. I never had them before and have had my heart checked. I have had an echocardiogram and EKG. They were extremely bad. We are talking all day long and some 6 hour spells. I had all the tests done and then finally looked up the exact results of my blood tests. They were told to me to be "normal". And, they were. But my calcium level was 9.9. At the very top of the upper limit. It had never been that high before in my life.
I reduced by calcium consumption.. which had inadvertently gone up... and retested... came down to normal. When it came down to normal.. the heart palpitations stopped and I haven't had them since.
How many people have heart palpitations and just think that is something they have to live with and may also have high but normal calcium.
Very very interesting, and I just looked at last year's labs and calcium serum came in at 9.8 on a range of 8.7 to 10.3. I take very little calcium, concentrate on magnesium intake and backed down quite a bit on dairy products.
As we know, your calcium levels can get too high if they aren't balanced by adequate magnesium intake.
And if you look up solutions for heart palpitations.. you will see -- take magnesium. It is one of the first things they tell you to do. If you look it up.. calcium causes "strong muscle contractions" and also "excess contractions": this was exactly what was happening to me. My normal calcium level is 8.9 to 9.2. Never any higher. So to have to come out at 9.9 was alarming. I believe it was caused by both more calcium in the diet and also, dehydration. Which can cause your calcium concentration to be higher. I would love my doctor to check in the cell but she is an AMA doctor and still tells me to take 1000 mg on calcium supplementation per day.
One other reason for high calcium can be a parathyroid issue. But usually if that is the case your vitamin D level will be low (your body makes it this way so that you get less calcium) and my vitamin D was high. So I knew it wasn't a Parathroid issue.
I also feel excess calcium is a major reason behind aches and pains -- including arthritis and Plantar Fasciitis. This is how it works.. your body suffers some irritation or damage.. walking too hard on your foot - standing all day. Your body sends calcium to the spot to sooth and heal. This is how your body heals inflammation. But if you don't have sufficient co factors too much calcium will be left behind causing irritation.
When I had my bout with Plantar Fasciitis, I TRIED EVERYTHING for a year. Finally I got an x-ray and it showed a "bone spurr" -- PF used to be called that. I decided I would try to get rid of that. I used apple cider vinegar (high in magnesium).. and within weeks... it totally resolved. After 1 year of normal treatment. Later I got a pain in my hip. I couldn't imagine what happened because it seemed to have happened in bed. I had laid on it with sheets rolled up under it. I tried the apple cider vinegar again.. and it went away.
Calcium levels are probably the most tightly controlled things measurable in our blood. There's a very delicate ballet played out continuously between Ca & P levels, PTH & calcitonin levels, absorption & excretion of Ca & P in the kidneys and absorption in the GI tract.
It's almost impossible to take in too much Calcium orally. Once your system is saturated, you don't absorb any more. Any excess that gets in is quickly removed thru the kidneys. There's no evidence any excess calcium is deposited anywhere in the body.
In regards blood tests: once again let me remind people that for almost all things measurable, a "low normal" level is statistically EQUAL to a "high normal level." That's counter- intuitive, but true nonetheless. The closest analogy I can think of is like hitting a home run: one hit into the first row of seats is no better or worse than one hit over the roof & out of the park-- they're both just one home run and count the same in the final score.
Low serum calcium levels are almost impossible to achieve: we have 40 lb of calcium stored in our bones, so normal PTH secretion sees to it that blood levels are maintained-- at the expense of bone Ca storage, hence the epidemic of osteoporosis in elders. (Check your routine diet in a nutritional value guide. Unless you're a milk drinker, I'd bet a fortune you are not getting enough calcium.)
Hypoparathyroidism is a very rare condition.
Hyperparathyroidism is fairly common: suspect it if you have pain you think is arthritis, but is confined to the hands & feet. It also causes hi BP and gastritis, and when sever enough, changes in mentation like memory loss, disorientation, fatigue and excessive sleep. (But then, just getting old does that to you too.. Kidney & gall stones are more common in hyperparathyroidism.
It's almost impossible to take in too much Calcium orally. Once your system is saturated, you don't absorb any more. Any excess that gets in is quickly removed thru the kidneys. There's no evidence any excess calcium is deposited anywhere in the body.
Well I agree that it is hard to move your calcium blood level.. but I don't believe that it is insignificant to see a number you have never seen before. I would say it is insignificant if you normally range from 8.9 to 9.4 and you get a result of 9.45. Well whatever. Not 9.9 and you are also having symptoms of calcium excess.. heart palpitations. I have heard that argument for years that there is no evidence that calcium is deposited in the body. But what is a bone spurr? Isn't that calcium? There is no evidence because no one will look for it.
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"low normal" level is statistically EQUAL to a "high normal level.
When I looked into PTH as a potential problem many doctors said it wasn't PTH if the range was 10 to 11 but was if it was over that. So clearly the precise level makes a difference to them.
If calcium made a difference for osteoporosis why is there still such an epidemic? 20+ years after people were told to drink their milk? No no, recent thinking is that osteoporosis is caused my low protein.
Actually, Type 2 diabetes is largely caused by obesity, not unabsorbed calcium (and yes, I am aware that there are lots of obese people who don't have T2 diabetes, and some thin people who have T2 diabetes).
Show me a study that proves Type 2 diabetics who are not overweight or obese have too much unabsorbed calcium, and I will believe you. But I doubt that study exists.
Actually, Type 2 diabetes is largely caused by obesity, not unabsorbed calcium (and yes, I am aware that there are lots of obese people who don't have T2 diabetes, and some thin people who have T2 diabetes).
Show me a study that proves Type 2 diabetics who are not overweight or obese have too much unabsorbed calcium, and I will believe you. But I doubt that study exists.
First, off we are prohibited from doing that on this board. But as I said, look up high intracellular calcium and insulin resistance. There are several studies that show a link. To have studies to prove things.. people need to look and so far.. no one has looked. I would challenge to find me a study that says --- it isn't true.
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. Kidney & gall stones are more common in hyperparathyroidism.