Calcium (Ca) in Urine
Urinary Calcium
Results
A test for calcium in urine is a 24-hour test that checks the amount of calcium that is passed from the body.
Normal
Normal results may vary from lab to lab.
Test results may be affected by the amount of calcium in the diet.
Calcium in urine Low amount of calcium in diet: Less than 150 milligrams (mg)/24-hour sample or less than 3.7 millimoles (mmol) per day
Average amount of calcium in diet: 100–250 mg/24-hour sample or 2.5–6.2 mmol
High amount of calcium in diet: 250–300 mg/24-hour sample or 6.2–7.5 mmol
High values
- High levels of calcium in the urine may mean severe hyperthyroidism (thyrotoxicosis), hyperparathyroidism, cancers that have spread to the bones, Paget's disease, osteoporosis, sarcoidosis, or kidney disease. In some cases, calcium in the urine may be high for unknown reasons; this is called idiopathic hypercalciuria.
- High levels of urine calcium may also be caused by too much vitamin D or calcium in the diet from too much dairy products or calcium antacids.
- Dehydration can cause high levels of urine calcium.
Low values
- Low urine calcium levels may mean problems with the parathyroid glands (hypoparathyroidism), low amounts of calcium or vitamin D in the diet, poor absorption of calcium or vitamin D by the intestines, or kidney disease.
- Pregnant women and older men may also have low urine calcium levels.
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| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: October 25, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine Philip Belitsky, MD, FRCSC - Urology | |
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| Topic Contents | |
| Test Overview | |
| Why It Is Done | |
| How To Prepare | |
| How It Is Done | |
| How It Feels | |
| Risks | |
 | Results |
| What Affects the Test | |
| What To Think About | |
| References | |
| Credits | |