Calcium News and Research

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Calcium, the most abundant mineral in the body, is found in some foods, added to others, available as a dietary supplement, and present in some medicines (such as antacids). Calcium is required for muscle contraction, blood vessel expansion and contraction, secretion of hormones and enzymes, and transmitting impulses throughout the nervous system. The body strives to maintain constant concentrations of calcium in blood, muscle, and intercellular fluids, though less than <1% of total body calcium is needed to support these functions.

The remaining 99% of the body's calcium supply is stored in the bones and teeth where it supports their structure. Bone itself undergoes continuous remodeling, with constant resorption and deposition of calcium into new bone. The balance between bone resorption and deposition changes with age. Bone formation exceeds resorption in growing children, whereas in early and middle adulthood both processes are relatively equal. In aging adults, particularly among postmenopausal women, bone breakdown exceeds formation, resulting in bone loss that increases the risk of osteoporosis over time.

Study explains how stroke promotes aggressive glioma tumor growth

Researchers at Texas Children's Duncan Neurological Research Institute (Duncan NRI), Baylor College of Medicine and collaborating institutions show in Nature Cancer that stroke promotes glioma growth and uncovered cellular and molecular mediators involved in the process, linking brain injury to malignant brain tumors.

25 Sep 2026

Scientists discover the molecular mechanism behind instantaneous memory formation

The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT, President: OHNO Hideo, Ph.D.) has discovered molecular mechanism of synaptic facilitation, instantaneous strengthening of synaptic transmission, which may be physiological basis of instantaneous memory.

24 Sep 2026

Structural insights into synchronous calcium channel gating in muscle cells

Using cryo-electron microscopy, researchers at the Max Delbrück Center have revealed how muscle cell calcium channels open synchronously.

24 Sep 2026

GLP-1s linked to nutritional deficiencies in children

Children prescribed GLP-1 medications for weight loss, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes are at risk for nutritional deficiencies – diagnosed in nearly one in six patients (16.8%) within the first year – according to a new study published in the journal Childhood Obesity.

24 Sep 2026

What links smoking, body fat, mental health, genes, and heart risk? Inflammation may be part of the answer

In a large UK Biobank study, higher levels of the chronic inflammation marker GlycA were associated with smaller heart chambers, thicker heart walls, impaired diastolic function, reduced stroke volume, and a 43% higher risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in the highest versus lowest GlycA group. Genetic susceptibility also modified the associations between environmental exposures, inflammation, and cardiovascular risk, while inflammatory proteins in the IL-1, TNF, and IL-6 pathways statistically mediated several of these associations.

23 Sep 2026

Low spinal bone density may predict faster brain aging

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that lower bone mineral density in the spine was associated with faster cognitive decline and accelerated age-related white matter injury, according to a new study published today in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America.

22 Sep 2026

BD² awards millions to study bipolar disorder mood changes

Breakthrough Discoveries for thriving with Bipolar Disorder (BD²) today announced its fourth round of Discovery Research grants, totaling more than $13 million, focused on the biological mechanisms of intense mood changes, a hallmark of bipolar disorder.

22 Sep 2026

Salt-purified seaweed compound suppresses inflammatory and allergic reactions

Food allergies affect an estimated 3%–4% of the global population, yet no definitive cure is currently available.

22 Sep 2026

GLP-1 medications place children at risk for nutritional deficiencies

21 Sep 2026

New brain circuit discovery offers hope for panic disorder treatments

Our survival depends on brains that constantly search for danger and, if found, stay alert until it has passed.

21 Sep 2026

Study reveals how CaMKIIα proteins organize during memory formation

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI) at Kanazawa University, Kyoto University, SOKENDAI, and the National Institute for Physiological Sciences have revealed how CaMKIIα-a key brain protein involved in learning and memory-organizes itself into chain-like structures.

20 Sep 2026

Transplanted human cortical organoids filled most of a mouse cortex. Then they began to connect

Researchers created xenocortical mice by transplanting human cortical organoids into animals genetically depleted of much of their native cortex, allowing the human tissue to occupy most of the available cortical space and form anatomical connections throughout the host nervous system. The grafts developed diverse cortical cell types, including L5-ET and VEN-like neurons, generated organized neural activity, and produced measurable cellular and behavioral responses to hypoxic injury.

18 Sep 2026

Fermented dairy was linked to lower mortality, but the pattern shifted at higher intakes

Analysis of 37,366 US adults found that fermented dairy consumption was associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, with consumers showing adjusted hazards 18% and 20% lower, respectively, than non-consumers. Dose-response analyses indicated that the inverse association was concentrated at intakes below about 150 grams per day, while the observational study could not establish causality.

16 Sep 2026

Working shifts may change more than your sleep schedule

A cross-sectional analysis of 1,814 Japanese workers found that shift work was associated with lower raw seafood intake and shorter sleep patterns in both sexes, while female shift workers also consumed less milk and dairy products. Total energy intake was similar between work groups, but male shift workers were more likely to consider preference and convenience when choosing foods, highlighting potentially important differences in dietary quality and lifestyle rather than calorie intake.

8 Sep 2026

Could scorpion venom inspire new treatments for liver disease?

Scorpion venom peptides show promising anti-inflammatory, antiviral, analgesic, and immunomodulatory effects, with experimental evidence suggesting that some candidates could target pathways involved in chronic liver disease and viral hepatitis. The review highlights Kv1.3-blocking peptides and antiviral compounds as potential therapeutic leads, while emphasizing that limited hepatic efficacy data, poor pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity, and manufacturing challenges must be overcome before clinical translation.

8 Sep 2026

Inhibitory neurons act as a brake on brain tumor growth

Brain tumors do not grow in isolation. They develop within the highly active environment of the brain, where neurons continuously exchange electrical and chemical signals.

7 Sep 2026

Elusive stem cells offer clues to treat lumbar spinal stenosis

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and Hospital for Special Surgery have discovered the stem cells—unspecialized cells that can develop into specific cell types—that give rise to the body's tendons and ligaments, the tissues connecting muscles and bones.

7 Sep 2026

Biodegradable 'nanobone' material helps body regrow jawbone

For children born with cleft lip and palate, repairing gaps in the jawbone often means waiting until they are 10 to 12 years old before undergoing invasive bone graft surgery.

3 Sep 2026

Too little or too much testosterone may matter for heart rhythm

A review of clinical trials, observational studies, genetic analyses, and mechanistic research suggests that atrial fibrillation risk may follow a U-shaped relationship with testosterone, increasing at both low and high levels. Evidence on testosterone replacement therapy remains mixed, with researchers calling for prospective studies to determine whether mid-physiological testosterone targets and treatment formulation influence AF risk.

2 Sep 2026

Mizzou researchers explore first drug treatment for aortic valve calcification

University of Missouri researchers are advancing a promising new approach to treating a serious heart condition that affects millions of older adults worldwide.

1 Sep 2026