If you don't consume enough calcium, your hair and nails could take a beating. Weak, brittle nails and thin, damaged hair are telltale signs that you may have a deficiency. The first common symptom is to experience frequent muscle cramps. Because calcium helps muscle contraction, low levels of the mineral mean you could experience more muscle cramps than usual, Kang says, specifically in your back and legs.
Other symptoms include brittle nails, bone-related injuries, irregular heartbeats, and tingling in the arms and legs. Your body needs calcium to build strong bones when you're young and to keep them strong as you age. Everyone needs calcium, but it's especially important for women and girls. Many people, including more than half of all women, don't consume enough calcium.
In the United States, five out of 20 women and 1 out of 20 men over the age of 65 have osteoporosis. Calcium helps keep bones strong and makes them less likely to break. This calcium information was adapted from materials from the Office of Dietary Supplements and the Office of Women's Health. Hypocalcemia, also known as calcium-deficiency disease, occurs when the blood has low levels of calcium.
