Hidden calcium danger: too much of this bone-building mineral may actually hurt you. .

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Hidden calcium danger: too much of this bone-building mineral may actually

hurt you. .

Better Homes & Gardens, Feb, 2003, by Alisa Bauman

If you're feeling unusually fatigued or depressed, ask your doctor to your

blood calcium levels. You may be one of the estimated 100,000 people per

year in the United States who has hyperparathyroidism, a problem that leaves

too much calcium in your blood and not enough where you really need it--your

bones.

Hyperparathyroidism occurs when the parathyroid glands in your neck produce

too much of the hormone that regulates blood calcium levels. Your body

essentially robs calcium from your bones, dumps it into your blood, and

prevents your kidneys from excreting it. This raises your risk for

osteoporosis and kidney stones.

Besides fatigue and depression, other symptoms of the condition include

muscle weakness, nausea, headaches, and constipation, says Dr. Sundeep

Khosla, professor of medicine at the Mayo School of Medicine in Rochester,

Minnesota.

If you are younger than 45, have blood calcium levels above 11.5, and severe

symptoms, surgery to remove the affected glands may be the best option, says

Dr. A. Zackson, director of calcium metabolism and kidney stone

prevention in the division of endocrinology at Weill Cornell Medical Center

in New York City. If you are older than 55, have blood calcium levels below

11.5, and no signs of osteoporosis or other symptoms, a wait-and-see

approach may be best. Talk to your doctor about getting annual cheeks of

blood calcium and parathyroid hormone levels.

Some ways to control hyperparathyroid symptoms include:

* Getting a prescription for bisphosphonate medication, such as Fosamax, to

counteract bone loss.

* Avoiding blood pressure-lowering Thiazide drugs, such as Accoretic, which

raises calcium levels in people with hyperparathyroidism.

* Working with your doctor to pinpoint your optimal calcium intake. Most

people with hyperparathyroidism need only 600 to 800 daily milligrams of

calcium from all food sources.

Meanwhile, pharmaceutical company Amgen is developing a drug that reduces

parathyroid hormone. If approved, the drug could be available in 3 to 5

years.