Roles of Calcium in the Body
Actually, calcium is one of the most vital minerals in the body, playing numerous crucial roles in bodily processes (Ambudkar and Muallem 11). This article discusses the different roles that calcium plays in the biological processes of the body, especially in normal growth and bone development. It is crucial to remember that in addition to the vital tasks that calcium plays in the body, optimal calcium levels must also be maintained for the body's regular biochemical processes, just like they are with other minerals. Failures of the regulatory processes result in anomalies that may need to be treated with medicine in order to return the body to its normal state and function.
The Role of Bones
Bones have an important function as a mechanism for providing a support system for various body organs (Bird 13). Alongside this feature, is the other function of bones as the store for Calcium mineral, which is one of the essential minerals in the body, having the highest concentrations in the body. Though calcium is used in various parts of the body, much of it is found stored in the bones as well as the teeth. The remaining mounts are located in the cells as well as in the extracellular fluid, where it performs other key roles for physiological normalcy. Variations in the level of calcium found in the body, either stored or even in metabolic pathways may have serious effects on the body. Generally, given the roles of calcium in bone growth, there exist weaker and shorter bones in cases where calcium levels are below normal.
The Role of Calcium Storage in Bones
In their article, Ambudkar and Muallem (13) notes that the storage of calcium in the substance of the bones points to the fact that there is a supportive role of this mineral in the bones where much of it is located, awaiting mobilization to go and perform various other functions at sites other than the bone itself. The concentration of calcium in the intestine is raised after meals, particularly after taking meals that are rich in calcium, an example being milk or even vegetables. The need for homeostatic regulation calcium levels in the body forms the basis of how the mineral calcium finds its way into the bone tissue, where its function as a component of the bone growth begins.
The Role of Calcitonin
The calcitonin hormone from the thyroid gland in the neck region is released to facilitate the removal of calcium from the intestines into the bones of the body, following any increases in the levels of calcium in the intestines, due to feeding. Calcitonin's principal role is to regulate the concentration of calcium in the intestines, but the result is the deposition of the calcium into the substance of the bone tissue, hence bone growth (Bird 15). Besides this, calcitonin facilitates excretion of calcium in the kidney nephrons. The release of calcitonin enables the osteoblastic cells of the bone tissue to absorb the calcium from circulation, and it incorporates the calcium into the bone tissue, hence increasing the mass of the bone tissue. This forms the basis of the increase of bone tissue.
Bone Growth and Regulation
With the deposition of the calcium obtained from the intestines, the bone progressively becomes denser and hence grows. According to Booth and Camacho (16), the growth of the bone is important in maintaining the support required by the other organs of the body. With the increased excretion of the calcium mineral in the kidney nephrons comes the risk of an individual having the onset of hypocalcemia, which refers to the situation in which the calcium levels in the body are insufficient to enhance sustain normal body functions. Hypocalcemia is corrected by the homeostatic pathway, involving the release of the parathyroid hormone from the parathyroid glands on the thyroid glands' posterior aspect in the neck region.
The Role of Parathyroid Hormone
Parathyroid hormone facilitates the process called bone resorption, in a bid to restore the normal calcium levels in circulation. The resorption is carried out using the osteoclastic cells of the bone tissue, and these are important in reducing the amount of calcium in the bone substance. The two processes are involved in the circulation of the calcium mineral available in the body system, and in this sense, are responsible for regulation of the bone growth (Sanai and Ono 19). The two cell types do this called the osteoclasts and the osteoblasts.
Development of Bones and the Risk of Calcium Deficiency
During the development of the bones in early ages of life, more deposition is carried out by the osteoblasts hence an increase in bone length and size. This is responsible for the increase in height among the younger populations. This, however, reduces with age and ultimately stops at about the age of 23 and 25. Sanai and Ono (21) explain that the absence of calcium in the body hence implies that there is a risk of developing various disease conditions that may have significant effects on the density of the bones. According to Bird (18), the absence of calcium would, therefore, mean that the growth processes of the bones become compromised. Such individuals may have certain symptoms, pointing at weaker bones, or even failure of growth of the same persons.
Works Cited
Ambudkar, Indu S., and Shmuel Muallem. “ROS and Ca2+—Partners in Sickness and Health”. Cell Calcium, vol. 60, no. 2, 2016, pp. 11-14. Elsevier BV, doi:10.1016/j.ceca.2016.06.003.
Bird, Gary S. “Cell Calcium Special Issue: Preface”. Cell Calcium, 2017, Elsevier BV, doi:10.1016/ j.ceca.2017.02.002.
Booth, Anna, and Pauline Camacho. “A Closer Look at Calcium Absorption and The Benefits and Risks of Dietary Versus Supplemental Calcium.” Postgraduate Medicine, vol. 125, no. 6, 2013, pp. 13-18. Informa UK Limited, doi:10.3810/pgm.2013.11.2714.
Sanai, Toru, and Takashi Ono. “Benefits and Adverse Effects of Statins, Atorvastatin Calcium Hydrate, Pitavastatin Calcium, And Pravastatin Sodium, For Dyslipidemia in Patients on Hemodialysis.” Journal of Metabolic Syndrome, vol. 05, no. 02, 2016, pp. 19-22. OMICS Publishing Group, doi:10.4172/2167-0943.1000202.
