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Sometimes I venture onto Facebook because some close friends and family still consider Steemit a ponzi scam, and as I was idly browsing I saw a video shared from *Science Insider*. 

This, you'd think, would be a pretty high standard clickbait source, a branch from Tech Insider after all!

This video instantly irked me though since it could actually increase the chance of health problems in people who listen to it. Watch it here:</div>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ0UnPN9Bc4

# Eating Eggshells

<div class=text-justify> I get it, there's an increasing move to waste less food, with other alternatives such as farming and consuming insects for a sustainable source of protein. The video points out that we waste thousands upon thousands of tons of eggshell even though they're a great source of Calcium.

Each egg shell contains 2 grams of Calcium, and the body needs 1 gram daily. Taking too much 'can be harmful' it says in red. This seems innocent enough.

# Do we need more calcium?

<div class=pull-right>https://steemitimages.com/DQmb8gxQDPNAXFycS8koBy5Wb5rzQCn4WcmeCLB5JT6N1fF/image.png
<center><sub>More, more, MORE!!</sub></center></div>

As the growing trend of supplementary pills grows as a multi-billion dollar industry, people get this idea that our modern diet is leaving us highly deficient and unhealthy. But if you are actually lacking in vitamins in any way, the chances are you'd know about it and a doctor would have given you supplements by now. 

More and more we see studies coming out showing how dietary supplements are more harmful than helpful. I'm not going to go into details here since it's been covered plenty on Steemit already, but in short:

>'Often the enthusiasm for these vitamins and supplements outpaces the evidence.'<sub>[Source](https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/dietary-supplements-do-they-help-or-hurt)</sub>

When it comes to recommended levels of Calcium, [Harvard](https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/dietary-supplements-do-they-help-or-hurt) establishes that 1-2 grams a day is enough, and notes that we should *not* exceed 2 grams - A single eggshell. 

But calcium doesn't only come from eggshells. Fortunately we have a wealth of sources that are pretty much included in  the vast majority of our diets already: Milk, yoghurt, salmon, cheese, beans, vegetables, fruit, legumes... and plenty of sources 'fortified' with calcium such as Cheerios and Oatmeal. 

So for most people, calcium deficiency, or *Hypocalcemia*, is hardly a concern. Should you become deficient, you may experience symptoms such as hallucinations, depression, muscle spasms and easily broken bones, and this only happens after *extended periods* of deficiency.

So although it's possible some of us might need a little more calcium, adding a 2-gram calcium bomb into your diet would only be beneficial if you practically avoid all sources of calcium in your diet for months on end. 

# Can we have too much?

This is the crux of my point: Yes. Typical supplementation is often arbitrary and concentrated, and these eggshells are no different. just a single egg shell is a full 2 grams on top of, say, 1 gram of our daily dosage recommendation. 

Too much is well known to create Kidney Stones - the most painful condition known to mankind - and perhaps worse, an increased rate of heart attack, with calcium possibly stiffening the blood vessels and causing clogs. 

More generally, *Hypercalcemia* is a thing, too, with symptoms such as vomiting, constipation, nausea, excessive urination, memory loss and in severe cases, drop you into a coma!

The most disappointing thing is too much calcium actually causes bone pain, osteoporosis and bone fractures...

### The very things you're trying to avoid by consuming calcium!

# So basically

Unless you're feeling the signs, you're doing fine in the calcium department. If you live a particular lifestyle lacking in calcium, a *low* dosage supplement will be ok, although merely 700mg a day should be more than fine for most people. 

Adding egg shells to your diet is likely going to do more harm than good, especially if you're actually trying to reduce waste, because you'll be putting eggshells in pretty much everything and consuming half a kilogram of calcium before the week's out. 

I feel like Science Insider could have done a much better job pointing out that if you include eggshells in your diet, you're *probably going to suffer the consequences* and even if we aren't getting enough calcium, low dosage supplements are better and safer. Eggshells are kind of last in line for your healthy, balanced diet. </div>

<sub>And by the way, the white bits on your nails aren't a sign of calcium deficiency. They're just remnants of a time when you bumped your finger at the root some weeks before and forgot about.</sub>

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*All images CC licensed*

References: <sub>[hypercalcemia](https://www.healthline.com/health/hypercalcemia#causes) | [Hypocalcemia](https://www.healthline.com/health/calcium-deficiency-disease) | [Health.harvard](https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-much-calcium-do-you-really-need) | [Lifespa](https://lifespa.com/can-get-enough-calcium-food/) |