I am getting ready to order more Dean's Remag and noticed that she has a calcium supplement too. I haven't taken calcium in years. Vitamin D and magnesium but not calcium.
Stupid question I know because all the medical community seems to say we need calcium but is it helpful for lyme people? I found an article that mentions calcium and lyme.
I fast forwarded to the conclusion because most if not all is over my head.
quote: In conclusion, our results have shown a significant rise in mitochondrial superoxide, indicative of a state of oxidative stress in the PBMCs of Lyme borreliosis patients. In these same patients we have presented evidence of a significant decrease in levels of cytosolic ionized calcium in PBMCs. Taken together, we hypothesize that these imbalances could cause oxidative stress, depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane, disruption of intracellular communication, and a release of pro-inflammatory cytokines [33]. All of which could ultimately contribute to a condition of mitochondrial dysfunction (Fig. 3). It is our intent to explore this mechanism in Lyme borreliosis patients further by expanding on our preliminary data and assessing additional markers for oxidative stress, intracellular communication, and the inflammatory pathways.
So do you think the above indicates we need extra calcium?
Posted by Lyme248 (Member # 51011) on :
All that stuff about mitochondria is over my head too. I can't figure that paragraph out. It sound to me like they are saying lack of calcium in the cells could be causing oxidative stress.
I've heard that sometimes bacteria use calcium for making biofilms. Maybe they are using all the calcium up.
That being said, it might still be a good idea to take some calcium if you are low on it.
I don't take calcium because it makes me constipated. I do eat dairy, so I am getting a lot of calcium there. I just don't feel right when I don't eat dairy. I don't know why.
I think I read that if you have oxalate processing issues you could also be using up calcium- I can't really remember.
Posted by lightfoot (Member # 2536) on :
All I can say is that if calcium was the answer, my mother and many others "who took the recommended" amounts of calcium would not have suffered massive osteoporosis then and now.
Most of the population are deficient in magnesium (including those of us with TBD's). The balance of calcium and magnesium is very important. In my experience too much calcium can increase a magnesium deficiency.
I have no references for this. Perhaps someone else will come along with that.
Thought for the day....... "The fact that there is always a positive side to life is the one thing that gives me a lot of happiness. This world is not perfect. There are problems. But things like happiness and unhappiness are relative. Realizing this gives you hope." H. H. The Dalai Lama
Posted by terv (Member # 29410) on :
It was the oxalate thing that got me looking into calcium. I am on a continuous search for my source of pain.
I so wish I could understand just a fraction of that article or any of these technical articles. Another thing it said was
quote: However, an infection can stimulate neutrophils to activate NADPH oxidase which requires the mobilization of calcium. Since Lyme borreliosis is an infection that can lead to a severe inflammatory state, we assessed the levels of cytosolic Ca2+I in infected patient PBMCs compared with uninfected individuals (Table 1B). Our observations (Fig. 2) have shown a significant decrease in the levels of cytosolic Ca2+I in PBMCs of Lyme borreliosis patients when compared to healthy controls.
Since lyme patients are typically low on magnesium and supplementation really helps most of us, I was wondering, after reading above, if the same was true with calcium. We also need calcium supplementation.
Then another internet search got me to the following page:
quote: Magnesium is an essential part of the delicate balance of our health. Taking a magnesium supplement or eating foods rich in magnesium helps create the right amount of calcium in the body. Yet, calcium supplements taken without magnesium can actually deplete magnesium in the body.
It would have been interesting and helpful if the study cited in my original post had looked at the magnesium levels of the lyme people.
I haven't taken calcium in years and dont get much in my diet. I hope my body is doing its thing by using the mag I take to create calcium. The oxalate thing made me remember my osteopenia issue and I started panicking because I haven't taken a calc supplement in years.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
terv. .. I don't take calcium.
Are you reducing your oxalates?
(I do take calcium D-glucorate .. does that count?)
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
Hey terv,
I take calcium (coral calcium). NOT magnesium.
Magnesium makes my muscles cramp and I feel rotten- not to mention it giving me the runs! I've done several trials with magnesium and no success.
Also, not taking a lot of calcium makes my muscles cramp really bad too. OUCH OUCH OUCH! Go figure!
You said you were on a quest to find the source of pain. Can you say what kind of pain you are experiencing?
And is there any reason you can't do a trial of calcium to see what it does for you, if anything?
I use to wait for the science to catch up with my symptoms, till I found myself suffering too much when I'd figured out what I thought I needed.
At that point my theory became- even if you don't understand it... If it feels good, do it!
Yeah, I know. Not real scientific. HA!
There are some Lyme treating doctors using IV lipids (not pills) with good success to help repair cells. Past that I can't say much about it cause it isn't something I am versed on. I just know it is being done- a LLMD told me about it.
Hope you do figure it out and mostly you can reduce your pain!!!
Posted by Pocono Lyme (Member # 5939) on :
For some reason, my Calcium often flags high. I dare not take any and could feel it in the way of bone pain when I consumed too much dairy. I can't take Vit D either. My understanding also is that if you have high calcium, supplementing it could be dangerous.
I've been checked for hyperparathyroidism and that's not it. I haven't pursued it any further.
One of my doctors suggested magnesium for my palpitations and said it could also regulate my calcium. It pretty much got rid of my palps. and I have hardly had the bone pain since about 6 weeks into doing the magnesium.
My husband on the other hand has low calcium and gets bad pain when he doesn't take the Vit D (5,000 IU daily). If it makes a difference, the doctor's office called yesterday to say he's positive for Lyme.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
used to until doc said I have kidney stones and now it's a no no.
Posted by Brussels (Member # 13480) on :
Too much calcium but lack of D3 and K2 will make calcium deposit in the ARTERIES (arteriosclerosis) and in the organs (KIDNEY STONES).
CALCIFICATION of joints: that is another place where calcium will go.
Hyperacidity also contributes to atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
Contrary to popular belief, cholesterol is NOT the primary problem with plaque in the arteries; it’s the hyperacidity and MINERAL SHIFTS in the tissues.
When the body starts to become acidic, CALCIUM and other minerals are drawn out of the BONES and the MAGNESIUM from the cartilage INTO the connective tissues and interstitial spaces and even arteries in an effort to buffer, or neutralize, the acid.
When these minerals that are drawn out react with cholesterol that is naturally in the blood, CALCIFIED deposits form, which is how atherosclerosis develops.
If you follow my nutritional plan over the long term, cholesterol levels of most people will normalize themselves without any need for drugs.
So we see that it is not cholesterol, but too much dietary PROTEIN that leads to a host of chronic degenerative, inflammatory, and autoimmune diseases:
arthritis, type 2 diabetes, and mainly OSTEOPOROSIS.
They all arise from different pathways, but one main factor contributes to each: too much protein in the diet.”
------------ Brussel: If adding calcium and milk products to our diets were the solution against osteoporosis, we would have seen a very sharp curve downwards since people take more and more cheese, milk products.
The tendency is the opposite: in Asian countries, osteoporosis ROSE since the introduction of milk products to their diet.
Well, not only excess of protein makes us acidic, but also sugar, junk food, fried foods,
.... toxins, heavy metals, infections (die off toxins), vaccines, drugs ....
.... electrosmog (my opinion) I'm sure contribute to that (because it damages most a great number of enzymes and hormones),...
lack of exercise, lack of fruits and veggies....
Pasteurized milk and milk products increase acidity and should be avoided, specially the ones that have concentrate pesticides and toxins, plus homogenized at high temperatures.
Posted by terv (Member # 29410) on :
My pain is in my traps/neck. I have done traditional physical therapy, osteopathy, and acupuncture.
Acupuncture was the only thing that gave me any relief but it would only be for at most 3 days.
Now I am doing an "alternative" form of PT called Postural Restoration Therapy (https://www.posturalrestoration.com/ or http://www.hruskaclinic.com/). Idea is to wake up sleepy muscles to take workload off traps.
Anyway interesting to read everyone's different experiences with calcium.
I am kind of throwing darts at the pain thing with diet. There is a food component to my pain but if I figured it out and removed it, I doubt the entire problem would go away it.
I ordered a bottle calcium citrate powder because I read that calcium will bind the oxalates. I have no idea if that really works. I am finding though that any type of supplement or drug that is "white powder form" (calcium, septra, mag pills or capsules) causes tremendous amounts of facial flushing. Hence when I saw Dean's liquid I thought that could be a solution to my calcium supplementation.
There is a food component to my pain but if I figured it out and removed it, the entire problem would not go away. That is why when I read about lyme patients being low on calcium that maybe supplementing it would reduce my inflammation.
LymeToo - Interesting about calcium D-glucorate and its function. Does it help you detox?
I will probably try the ReCalia. What is another $40 supplement that will probably end up sitting in my unused supplement drawer?
Posted by terv (Member # 29410) on :
Brussels,
Didn't see your post before i posted my reply. I will read your info before I order my calcium.
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