Calcium

Calcium is the most common mineral in your body. It's needed in your blood in very precise amounts to:

• Send nerve signals
• Help your muscles work
• Aid in clotting your blood when you're hurt
• Control fluid balance in your cells

You get the calcium your body needs by eating foods that contain it. Dairy is a good source of calcium. Most calcium in your body is stored in your bones—like a bank. Remodeling your bones is a way for your body to take calcium out of your bank.

The National Kidney Foundation's Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (NKF KDOQI™) guidelines for people on dialysis say that your blood calcium level should be at the lower end of the normal range for your center's lab. In most cases, this means from about 8.4 to 10.0 mg/dL—and not higher than 10.2 mg/dL.