Calcium Paradox
By Phil Wade Amended 27/02/23
Calcium builds up on the inside of artery walls forming plaque (along with cholesterol). How this happens is part of what I call the calcium paradox.
So how does this calcium formation come about? Let me explain dow it all works as I see it. Ro understand we need to go back to the beginning.
You see, calcium is actually needed by the slowly contracting muscles in arteries and heart along with all other muscles and most nerves.
So maintaining a steady blood level of calcium is critical to staying alive, and is referred to as calcium homoestasis.
That’s because once INSIDE muscle cells, it acts as a trigger, stimulating contraction of muscle on demand, including those of the arteriy walls and heart.
We explain below my understanding of how calcium gets inside such cells even though 99% of calcium forms bone. Supported by evidence, including now four case studies that I have recorded in my clinic featuring “before and after” MRIs, we will also see how bone acts as a resevoir of calcium, alternately releasing and absorbing it to maintain this steady state within blood. And slowly changing its mass and volume over time if dietary deficiency occurs.
And expain also how calcium builds up in joints during that process.
And finally, what to do about sorting out the whole catastrophe!
How calcium deficiency triggers plaque formation from bone loss and also joint calcification.
Arterial Plaque formation.
Even mild but certainly extreme conditions of calcium deficiency prompt a brain organ called the pituitary gland to send out a messenger (trophic) hormone called parathyroid stimulating hormone (PTSH).
These stimulate your parathyroid gland to release its own parathyroid hormones (PTH).
PTH in turn stimulates specialised bone cells called called osteoclasts to activate.
Osteoclasts plunder calcium reserves by breaking down bone cells.
This sequence is designed to raise concentrations of calcium in arteries and and heart muscle in order to keep coronary arteries supplied.
Numerous nucleations of calcium phosphate are visible as round deposits of different sizes. These, as they grow and approach, coalesce and form a single amorphous mass.
That’s to maintain abovementioned blood homoeostass – regulated blood calcium level that is sustained between very narrow parameters by the pituitary gland whose job it is to constantly monitor blood levels of many elements including calcium while organising bone building or bone breakdown in this pursuit.
The trouble begins when the diet is regularly deficient in calcium or you take calcium supplements out of balance with other elements, to cover the deficiency when bone is donating more calcium than it is receiving.
In such times, bone steadily loses calcium imperceptibly, week by week. Over a period of time, it will thin to a point of risk of fracture. This is called osteoporosis and is addressed below.
Similarly in times of excess, the pituitary will order the thyroid gland to store calcium in the bone that is excess to requirements through the release of a Thyroid stimulating hormone called calcitonin (see above reference).
These requirements are needed to allow the heart to beat, muscles to contract and many different types of nerves to work.
Known as “electrolytes”, calcium and magnesium work in tandem to allow the contraction and relaxation of these tissues respectively.
And the good part is that this constant “regulation” of blood calcium levels keep you alive consequences of an imbalanced diet!
The bad part is that surges of calcium from this activity may cause a buildup of calcium in your arteries because the arteries are the first vessels to take this exodus.
This, along with joint calcification, is the calcium paradox.
Joint calcification
This movement of calcium back into the blood supply from destroyed bone cells may also be – in my opinion – the ultimate cause of calcium accumulating in cartilage.
That is because joints may be calcium’s main exit point from the hollow part of the bone (lumen) where most osteoclasts exist
But all the while, this is causing osteoporosis (inadequate bone calcium and structure) according to the Australian Health Survey of Usual Nutrient intakes of 2011-12. These details are hard to find in the most recent survey – but I can assure you that they have been on a continual downhill slide since the mid-eighties, so are worth taking into account.
Artery calcification
The heart’s arteries are basically en route from this “flow” of concentrated calcium that has just emerged from the bones. In addition, it may nestle along artery walls if it has just emerged from the artery cells.
Can the calcification eventually render the arteries brittle, leading into middle age and ultimately cause BP to increase in later life?
I would think that that is the most likely explanation of some otherwise unexplained causes of high BP as we hit the 40s – especially if the cholesterol levels are normal.
As it is not possible and also unethical to make prescribing suggestions without a consult, please feel free to ring and enquire. But I hasten to add that we may recommend a regime that I use and it has certainly kept my own joints stable, pain free and with minimal swelling (my D.O.B. is January 1944). Of course, the regime naturally includes a combination of choices of a balanced and complete adjusting of your dietary essential nutrients and/or mineral deficiencies but importantly also offering a way to optimise your health while watching your weight while providing the essentials, aimed at ultimately supporting the body’s ability to remove calcification by biological chelation.
Osteoporosis
This possible movement of calcium out of the bone may lead eventually to a deficiency of calcium reserves in the bones, and a paradoxical build-up of crystalline calcium in the joints, causing at once weakening bone structure, pain, micro-bleeds and infection.
Arteries and heart may suffer
In the more extreme cases, smooth and cardiac muscle (heart, artery cells and gut muscle cells) would not only function less efficiently but more trouble is brewing if crystalline calcium build-up on their surfaces may cause brittleness and clotting, as passing red blood cells become damaged.
Trans fat added complication
This would, in turn, lead to a reduced ability of these organs to function as they should. The ultimate consequences are obviously atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke – especially when associated with trans fats described in this link from poor quality cholesterol.. See this link also.
Heart pains in children
What about artery muscle cells? Might they would balloon out instead of holding shape and initially cause a bit of low blood pressure. Yes they can?
Is all of this going to add stress to your heart? You bet it is.
What do you think if your heart muscle can’t contract on demand? I think it would respond by going into distress and causing pain.
Oh, did I hear you say that that’s what happens to your growing son and daughters when they train at sport?
Well, if it is, we need to eliminate that as the most likely reason why. In fact, I would go so far as to say that loss of calcium in muscle at puberty is definitely the most likely cause until otherwise proven.
We have seen frequent cases of this in the clinic but you know what? You’ve got to ask! Why? Because – like many chronic conditions – children especially regard this as a normal condition and, believe it or not, don’t think to mention it!
Another cause of pain in children – EBV
And I hasten to add that I have said likely and not only because another underlying cause may complicate this condition – and that is the Epstein Barr virus aka EBV glandular fever aka mononucleosis aka “mono” aka cold sores – first cousin also of shingles in adults. This is a major fatiguing and sometimes painful affliction in most people – some more so than others – also, especially at puberty and beyond. And even before, in many cases.
Who is susceptible?
See also trials and studies in fatigue and pain using Frequency Specific microcurrent that Carolyn McMakin has been undertaking since the nineties.
What are the susceptible ages for this phenomenon? I would say that it would be most critical in the growing young – especially in the puberty growth spurt – as well as pregnant and lactating women. But it can happen to non-pregnant adults also. Indeed, many adults may never recover from the growth deficiency, especially as it continues through life. See the most recent Australian Health Survey estimating Calcium and other mineral intakes in this link..
And what of calcification? Soft tissue targets for calcification would obviously be bone joints, cartilage in the skull as well as the lumen of arteries, heart valves, lungs and kidneys.
An important part of that answer lies in taking calcium in a balanced way – see ‘diet and supplements’ below.
If your body receives a normal balance array of micronutrients on a regular basis, it will know how to safely eliminate a moderate excess. What it can’t successfully do is to create essential nutrients if they are deficient in your diet.
The second part of that is FSM. See “McMakin” above.
Author’s Note:
That doesn’t mean that you go overboard and take far too much or take them in an imbalanced way with exaggerated dosages. We just need to make up the difference on an ongoing basis.
Why Calcium supplements and diet?The Australian dietary surveys all point to the fact that around 70% of Australians are now deficient in calcium. Worse still – 94% of female schoolchildren between the ages of 12 and 16YO are deficient in calcium – and mature women also grossly deficient. And boys and adult males are similarly deficient in zinc as well as calcium and others as is also evidenced in the same survey. And the survey goes on to state that calcium deficiency is the number one cause of osteoporosis. And as mentioned, this extends to older age groups. And this is gauged against an already woefully low WHO estimate of the daily need. How can this come about? The bottom line is that basically, Australia is a mineral-deficient continent. This is because our very thin, millennia-worn topsoil layer – the source of trace elements – is so thin. Consequently, our water and foods are deficient in trace elements. This is all said to be aggravated by inappropriate European farming methods. So, logic tells me that – if our normal food (and water) sources are only providing 600mg or so of calcium per day and our body needs 800mg to 1200mg per day or so (depending on diet, body weight and activity), then it would be wise to supplement that dietary deficiency. But in a balanced way! That means to you that if you are pregnant or lactating, then your minimum daily requirement (MDR) is about 2,000mg per day. But don’t even attempt to supplement with calcium unless you add an equivalent amount of magnesium and the other trace elements that are required to build healthy bone!!! Do dietary habits change the equation?Yes, of course. These survey findings all produce the familiar bell curve of results. So, what places people at the right end of the curve from a food selection and preparation point of view are:
More details can be obtained by enquiring at the clinic. Recommendation:Start by supplementing with 600mg per day of elemental calcium and balance it with about 250mg of elemental magnesium. Beware of labelling tricks, poorly absorbed forms and cheaply made products. See our website for more info: wellnesscentre.com.au. Why haven’t I recommended milk? There is a lot of information available now that people who drink milk over a lifetime exhibit more osteoporosis than those who don’t. Also, many people are allergic – or sensitive – to A1 cow dairy protein. A2 milk is generally considered to be neutral in this regard. And incompatibility varies with your blood type. (See website discussion on “food allergy” or read Dr Robert Buist’s book on Food Intolerance or Peter D’Adamo’s book: Eat Right For Your Type – parts one and two). Yes, it is all a paradox – that’s why it is important to not only understand but also put into practice. Phil Wade |