When you have Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS) it often sets off a combination of conditions, disorders, and dysfunctions throughout your body.
This is part of what makes it so very difficult to recover from. One of the issues that can arise with this disorder is problems with your parathyroid glands. This often-forgotten cluster of glands is essential for your daily functioning, and when they become unbalanced the results can be catastrophic. Hypercalcemia is one of the many conditions that can result from this, and it will not only affect your health and quality of life, it will also worsen your AFS.
What is Hypercalcemia?
Hypercalcemia means high calcium levels in your blood. Calcium is a mineral that plays an important role in the functioning of your body. It is stored primarily in the bones and a small percentage circulates in the blood. The balance of calcium level is maintained by a combination of calcium from your diet, its absorption by the intestine into the blood, its excretion by the kidney and bone remodeling. This balance can either be neutral, positive or negative and this depends on factors like aging, growth, your habits, and your genes. Additionally, there are hormones that again work, with the kidneys, skeleton, and intestines to carefully regulate the calcium levels in the blood. This process is known as homeostasis. Disruption of homeostasis along with other factors, alter your blood calcium levels.
The main hormone that mostly causes hypercalcemia is called the parathyroid hormone. This hormone is released by a cluster of small glands called the parathyroid glands which are located in the neck region and in very close proximity of the thyroid gland. When the parathyroid glands become overactive, an excess hormone is released.
Hypercalcemia is dangerous. It may lead to serious complications like kidney stones, weak bones, and dysfunction of the heart and brain. Ironically, the symptoms of hypercalcemia are not unique to this condition and therefore the clinicians often fail to assess them on time.
What are the Symptoms of Hypercalcemia?
The symptoms of this disorder can range from almost non-existent to very severe, which is debilitating. This variability often makes it difficult to pinpoint the actual cause. Some of the most common symptoms of hypercalcemia are:
Abdominal pain, nausea, constipation, and vomiting.
Frequent urination and excessive thirst.
Bone pain or weakness.
Muscle weakness, lethargy, and fatigue.
Irregular heartbeat, palpitations, and fainting, although these are rare.
If you have any or all of these symptoms and cannot find a cause, it is worth talking to your medical practitioner about hypercalcemia.
The Dangers of Hypercalcemia
When you have high calcium levels in your blood it can cause a range of problems and disorders. Some of them are mentioned below:
Kidney stones.
Kidney stones are caused by hypercalcemia which builds up as crystals. Over time, these crystals form into stones which can be very painful to pass from your body.
Kidney failure.
Hypercalcemia causes the kidneys to become overworked and over a period of time, can damage the tissue. This results in kidney failure.
Osteoporosis.
The parathyroid glands stimulate the bones to release their calcium into the blood. If this continues over a long period of time, it can cause the bones to become thin and weak. This may lead to fractures and deformity of the spine.
Heart problems.
Heart problems are uncommon with hypercalcemia but if it does happen, then the electrical impulses regulating your heartbeat are disturbed. This causes an irregular heartbeat or palpitations.
Nervous system problems.
When hypercalcemia becomes severe, it can lead to dementia, confusion, and even coma. This is one of the rare occurrences, when hypercalcemia is fatal.
How does the Parathyroid Gland Work?
As you are aware, calcium is an essential element in your body. It helps to build strong bones and teeth, assists with muscle functions, and helps the nerves transmit signals. The four tiny parathyroid glands are dedicated to ensuring that your calcium levels remain within the optimum range. When the blood calcium level is low, the parathyroid glands help to increase its level in the following ways:
Signal the bones to release calcium into the blood.
Instruct your digestive tract to release calcium into the blood.
Instruct your kidneys to slow down calcium excretion from the body. The kidneys also activate vitamin D, which in turn helps with calcium absorption into the blood.
Given, that a delicate balance of many factors work together to maintain the calcium level in your blood, the slightest disruption may result in hypercalcemia.
Vitamins and supplements: what you need to know before taking them
What are the Common Causes of Hypercalcemia?
There are several common causes of hypercalcemia. These include:
Overactive parathyroid glands.
This is the most common cause of hypercalcemia. There may be many reasons why the glands become overactive. For example, an enlarged gland or a benign tumor may lead to excess hormone release and this disturbs calcium homeostasis.
Immobility.
If you are bed-bound or immobile for long periods, then it can weaken your bones. Bones need to bear weight regularly to be strong and healthy, otherwise, they begin to release calcium into your bloodstream, resulting in hypercalcemia.
Cancer.
The risk of developing hypercalcemia is high in bone-related cancers and those cancers in which it has spread to the bone. If you are a cancer patient, your doctor would monitor your blood calcium level to manage the effects of hypercalcemia.
Lung conditions such as tuberculosis and sarcoidosis.
Although rare, hypercalcemia may occur in patients with lung conditions like tuberculosis and sarcoidosis. The kidneys of these patients, release excess vitamin D into in the bloodstream, which in turn absorbs more calcium into the blood resulting in hypercalcemia.
Medications.
Hypercalcemia is a side effect of many medicines, especially those used for high blood pressure and those that increase absorption of vitamin D. Some cancer drugs may alter the level of parathyroid hormone, therefore affecting the blood calcium levels.
Hereditary disorders.
There are certain genetic disorders which cause faulty calcium receptors and high levels of calcium in the blood. Fortunately, these disorders are rare and do not usually result in the symptoms or problems associated with hypercalcemia.
Dehydration.
If you are severely dehydrated it means that there is less fluid in your blood. This increases blood calcium concentrations.
Supplements.
If you are taking calcium or vitamin D supplements, then you need to be careful about the amount you are taking. Excess vitamin D supplementation can cause hypercalcemia.
This means you may have hypercalcemia because of many reasons. Therefore it is important that you address the problem based on the cause and the severity of your condition. So, if you think that this disorder may be a problem for you, see your doctor immediately for a blood test to confirm your suspicions.
How AFS Affects the Parathyroid
The thyroid, which includes the parathyroid, is an essential part of the hormone circuit. This is one of the first circuits in the body to suffer dysfunctions when you have AFS, which is a very common, stress-related disorder. Chronic, long term stress causes the adrenal glands to become fatigued. The adrenals are responsible for excreting cortisol as part of the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) stress response, the body’s most important system for coping with stress. But when the NEM stress response is active for a long period, the adrenals start to malfunction because of the overwork. This causes a variety of problems all throughout the body, most of them starting with the hormone circuit.
The hormone circuit consists of the adrenals, thyroid, and sexual organs. These three systems work in concert and are very tightly connected. So, when the adrenals are overactive because of AFS and ongoing stress, the cortisol overload can cause problems with the functioning of the thyroid and parathyroid. This could result in a range of symptoms. Most often, people with this issue experience glandular underactivity andunder activity, resulting in fatigue. However, everybody’s condition and body are different, which means that they may have hyperactivity and hypercalcemia.
It is often difficult to establish whether the condition is AFS or hypercalcemia because their symptoms are very similar. Both may display symptoms like anxiety, insomnia, irritability, heart palpitations, and inability to handle stress. The blood calcium level may fluctuate at different times, again due to many factors. In severe cases, surgery of the parathyroid gland is considered. However, this must be decided with extreme caution, because a major intrusive surgery like this can be contraindicative and make matters worse if you have AFS.
The Dangers of Supplementing
If you are unwell because of AFS, it might seem like a good idea to try supplementing with calcium and vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent and it is very common to take a vitamin supplement for its health benefits. However, if you have AFS then this tactic could backfire. Your body is weak and fragile because of AFS and supplements that you think are good for you may actually cause unwanted reactions similar to an allergic reaction. This means that if you have AFS, the supplements could be harmful to you. This hypercalcemia might obstruct the normal functioning of your digestive and excretory system. Clinicians not familiar with AFS may draw the conclusion that there is an issue with the parathyroid gland when in fact the underlying trigger of hypercalcemia lies elsewhere.
You need to be very careful when it comes to supporting the health of your thyroid and parathyroid and in ensuring that your body has all the nutrients it needs to function properly. Never try to supplement without the help and guidance of a medical professional who is aware of your AFS and knows how your body is likely to react to foreign substances. Instead, it is usually better to improve your diet so that you get all the nutrients you need naturally and in combinations and quantities that are better suited for your body. If you have hypercalcemia type symptoms that are secondary, this will also encourage your parathyroid to heal and start functioning the way it is supposed to.
The Takeaway
Hypercalcemia is not well understood or recognized by the public and yet it is a serious disorder that can affect your quality of life and your overall health. If you have AFS, your risk of this problem is higher than it is for others. It is vital that you are aware of the dangers that can arise from thyroid problems so they can be identified early enough to ensure the best outcome.
QuanlimLife
PHARMA is treating this Hypercalcemia totally wrong. They are treating the symptoms and not the real coarse. Be careful- The main culprit is CANCER treatment and lots of Calcium supplements thats is all over and marketed on every platform for better health. Calcium Carbonate is dangerous.
