Consequences vary depending on the stage of life:
- in childhood, one could suffer impaired growth;
- in adolescence, lack of calcium will result in less solid bones, and later, as an adult, in an increased risk of osteoporosis and therefore reduced resistance to bone fracture;
- in pregnant women and those who are breastfeeding, shortages can have consequences on the mother (hypertension during pregnancy, problems at the time of giving birth…). As for the infant, it will draw on the bone calcium from its mother if the latter does not ingest enough;
- at an older age, the shortage of calcium may accelerate bone loss.