Calcium keeps our bones strong and provides electrical energy to our muscles and nerves.

When calcium runs low, the parathyroid hormones jump in to make things right. They release calcium from our bones, prevent its loss in our urine and enhance calcium absorption in our intestines.

How does calcium get low? Calcium hits the skids when magnesium is scarce–as it usually is in today’s world. Our bodies balance calcium and magnesium 24/7; if magnesium levels are low, we dump calcium until it reaches magnesium’s level–and end up without enough of either. The reverse is true if magnesium has the upper hand, and we end up in the same place.

Low calcium puts us in a ditch. To avoid this unfortunate situation, make sure you take at least as much magnesium as calcium, and that you take calcium with bioflavonoids–which matches nature’s way of doing things.

When our parathyroid glands falter, we’re more likely to have high calcium levels than low. High calcium levels cause fatigue, osteoporosis, kidney stones, heartburn, bone pain, heart palpitations, depression, headaches, an increased risk of breast or prostate cancer, sleep difficulties and general grumpiness. Or you may be symptom-free and discover the problem coincidentally.

What causes high calcium levels?

First, we may have a parathyroid tumor; typically on only one parathyroid gland.. While tumors are rarely cancerous, it’s important to take care of them–usually by surgical removal. Whatever you do, don’t send a boy to do a man’s job. These little glands die in the hands of an inept surgeon, and you end up with a virulent form of osteoporosis that you don’t want to deal with. Search far and wide for expertise. In the right hands, you get a 20-minute mini-surgery with a small incision and a quick recovery. With three working glands remaining, you’re good to go.

Second, parathyroid glands can be collateral damage in removal of the thyroid gland. This shouldn’t happen, but it does. Sometimes they whack all four. And without the parathyroids to keep calcium in balance, you end up with the all-out attack on your bones I mentioned.

Doctors tout removal of overactive thyroid glands, but it’s not a walk in the park. You might try a natural resolution to hyperthyroidism, such as with iodine/iodide supplements, before climbing onto the operating table. And don’t let just anybody cut on you.

The University of Michigan created new parathyroid glands in the lab. Now they’re working on doing it in real life–a permanent fix to inadvertent removal.

Kidney disease can cause raised calcium levels, too.

A Complete Blood Count (CBC) blood test will tell the elevated calcium story. If your calcium’s high–even a little, perhaps in the 10+ range, you have a problem. Your doctor may suggest waiting until it reaches, say, 12, but you don’t want to do that. Terrible things can be going on in your bones–even without symptoms.

Most doctors never see a parathyroid problem. You want somebody who’s been there, done that. Check http://Parathyroid.com (I have no connection) for more information.

Fortunately, most of us don’t have to deal with whacked out parathyroid glands.

Based on years of research and experience, Bette Dowdell wrote an e-book to get you past the vitamin learning curve and into health. Pep for the Pooped: Vitamins and Minerals Your Body Is Starving For helps you build a solid health foundation even if you can’t tell one vitamin from another or explain why we need minerals.

Besides giving you the information you need, the book has links to take you directly to the right brand, the best type, at the lowest price, which will save more money than the cost of the book. Skip the guesswork and get the help you need at http://PepForThePooped.com.

Product recommendation: BPA is one of the plastics that gives us bogus estrogen, throwing our endocrine system for a loop. I just found The Eclectic Grocer, and they sell non-BPA containers. Check out Premium BPA Free Kitchen Storage. They have baby bottles, too. No sense giving estrogen to babies. And did you know BPA increases the possibility of asthma?