Calcium: too much can be a problem

We often think of calcium as the mineral that builds strong bones and teeth. We drink milk or take supplements, believing we’re doing the right thing for our bones.

But too much calcium can also be a problem.

Without Vitamin D3, your body cannot absorb calcium. If this occurs, you end up with too much calcium in your arteries.

Vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, is not really a vitamin. It behaves like a hormone. Your skin produces it when exposed to sunlight, and your liver and kidneys convert it into its active form, calcitriol.

This active form tells your intestines to absorb calcium from food and your kidneys to hold on to it. Without D3, no matter how much calcium you consume, your body can’t use it effectively.

D3 also works with your parathyroid hormone to keep your blood calcium levels stable.

Here’s where the problem begins.

Calcium is essential, but too much of it. Excessive calcium can deposit in soft tissues. This process is called vascular calcification. It is one reason our arteries get stiff.

So what can you do?

Ensure that you take D3 but also ensure that you get adequate K2. As I have said before, Vitamin D3 helps calcium absorption and Vitamin K2 determines where the calcium goes.

Low levels of D3 are linked to weak bones and a higher risk of fractures. But excessive D3 supplementation without balancing nutrients can lead to high blood calcium levels. Your kidneys will be stressed.

So, the answer is not more D3. The answer is balance.

Remember that excessive D3 is also toxic. From the data at our practive, we recommend keeping D3 levels in the range of 60–80 ng/mL for most people. Above this, the risk of calcification starts to rise, especially if your magnesium or K2 intake is low.

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