Calcium

What Are Muscle Spasm, Muscle Cramps? Muscle spasm and muscle cramps are  disorders of muscle function caused by painful involuntary contractions of affected skeletal muscles characterized by limited movement. Q: What is the difference between muscle spasm and cramps? A: ...

What Are Brittle Nails? Brittle nails are abnormalities of the nail plate that are characterized by poor nail structure affecting all fingernails and toenails seen as thin, dry nails that easily chip, split, and are difficult to maintain a clean ...

What Is Calcium? Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, with 99% residing in teeth and bones where it constitutes 40% of skeletal bone weight along with 45% phosphorus. As a component of hard tissues, calcium fulfills a ...

What Is Obesity? Obesity is an inflammatory metabolic disorder that is characterized by body mass index greater than 30% resulting from excessive body fat stored in adipose tissue. Q: What is body fat? A: Body fat is part of the body ...

What Is Osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disorder characterized by diminished bone mass (density) with normal cell appearance but fragile bone strength that prediposes to broken bones, and with high bone turnover. This condition usually goes undetected until late ...

What Is Secondary Amenorrhea? Secondary amenorrhea is a menstrual disorder characterized by absence of menstruation for more than 3 months in females who had previously menstruated. Menstruation is the shedding of the endometrium (inner lining) of the uterus that occurs two weeks ...

What Is Eczema? Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a chronic recurring inflammatory skin disorder characterized by itching, eczematous plaques and a defective epidermal barrier (surface layer of skin cells) that fails to hold moisture, with affected areas becoming dry then inflamed. ...

What Are Cataracts? Cataract is a clouding of the normally clear lens in an affected eye characterized by blurred vision and progressive blindness due to loss of the len’s ability to focus light rays on the retina. Cataracts can occur ...

What Is Anxiety? Anxiety or worry is a distressing emotional state of mind or mood that is characterized by a vague uneasiness, unpleasant feelings of apprehension or anticipation of danger and by interference with normal functioning, ranging from mild qualms ...

What Is Infertility In Females? Infertility in females is characterized by failure to conceive after one year of intercourse. This condition can be frustrating and emotionally upsetting to the parents trying to conceive. What Is Infertility In Females In Celiac Disease and/or ...

What Is Insomnia? Insomnia is a distressing sleep disorder that includes inability to fall asleep, inability to stay asleep, and inability to get deep sleep depending on the type of insomnia. Q: What are the types of insomnia? A: There ...

What Are Bone Fractures? Bone fractures, or broken bones, are breaks in skeletal bones that occur usually from trauma to the bone itself or by a sudden violent contraction of muscle attached to it. Q: Are there other causes of ...

What Is Tetany? Tetany is a painful feature of low blood calcium or low blood magnesium causing hyperexcitability of all nerves which in turn stimulates involuntary sudden, intermittent and repetitious tonic spasms of muscles. Tonic spasms are steady rather than jerky. Causes include ...

What Is Short Stature? Short stature means the individual has not reached a normal height as a result of failure to thrive and severe growth delay in children.1 What Is Short Stature In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity? Catassi C, ...

What Is Rickets? Rickets is a disorder of cartilage cell growth and enlargement of epiphyseal growth plates in young children that is characterized by inadequate mineralization of developing cartilage and newly formed bone. The epiphyseal growth plate is located at the ends ...