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 ...
Read More »Osteoporosis
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 ...
Read More »Vitamin D Deficiency
What Is Vitamin D? Vitamin D is the principle regulator of calcium homeostasis (balance) in the body. This “vitamin” is really a prohormone, meaning it acts like a hormone but is not. Vitamin D does, however, contain cholesterol in its molecular ...
Read More »Potassium Deficiency
What Is Potassium? Potassium is a mineral that is crucial for life being essential for every cell, especially nerve and muscle function. Most potassium is intracellular, meaning it is found within cells while sodium, its opposing mineral (both electrolytes), is ...
Read More »Bone Fractures
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 ...
Read More »Rickets
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 ...
Read More »Secondary Hyperparathyroidism
What Is Secondary Hyperparathyroidism? Secondary hyperparathyroidism is a parathyroid disorder resulting from hypocalcemia (low blood calcium level) that is characterized by excessive production of parathyroid hormone in the attempt to normalize the low blood calcium by releasing calcium from bone. ...
Read More »Osteitis Fibrosa Cystica
What Is Osteitis Fibrosa Cystica? Osteitis fibrosa cystica is a metabolic bone disease characterized by decalcification and softening of bones with bone cyst formation and bone tumors developing from effects of chronic vitamin D deficiency causing hyperparathyroidism and parathyroid adenoma ...
Read More »Bone Pain
What Is Bone Pain? Bone pain is pain or tenderness in bone tissue. Bone pain intensity and location depend on the causative disorder. Q: What are causative disorders of bone pain? A: Bone pain is a feature of various disorders ...
Read More »Osteonecrosis: definition
A painful bone disorder caused by death of bone cells resulting from insufficient blood flow to a part of the skeleton due to secondary hyperparathyroidism from calcium deficiency. Click for full description.
Read More »Osteomalacia: definition
A metabolic bone disorder characterized by generalized reduction in bone density (bone softening) in adults and increased risk of fractures, especially wrist and pelvis, with muscular weakness of upper arms and thighs, waddling walk, and bone tenderness. Click for full description.
Read More »Hypokalemia (Low Potassium Blood Level): definition
The level of potassium in the bloodstream is too low to meet metabolic needs of the body for this mineral.
Read More »Hypocalcemia (Low Blood Calcium): definition
The level of calcium in the bloodstream is too low to meet metabolic needs of the body for calcium.
Read More »Hyperparathyroidism, Secondary: definition
A parathyroid disorder resulting from calcium deficiency that is characterized by excessive levels of parathyroid hormone causing bone loss. It is an complication of celiac disease. Click for full description.
Read More »Hyperparathyroidism, Primary: definition
A parathyroid disorder characterized by excessive secretion of parathyroid hormone by one or more parathyroid glands for more than 6 months.
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