Parathyroid (PTH) Hormone Blood Test and Roles
Table of Contents
What is PTH?
Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is secreted by the parathyroid gland which happens to be four little glands situated at the posterior surface of the thyroid gland. PTH is regulated by phosphate and calcium levels in the blood & acts mainly on the bone & kidneys to improve calcium circulation. PTH has nothing to do with thyroid hormone and should not be confused.
As a result of its slow & yet rapid effect on bones and kidneys, Parathyroid hormone can alter calcium levels in the blood within few seconds & also sustain it for several weeks and months. In the case where there is any form of chronic calcium deficiency - the parathyroid gland will increase in size. This will stay in place for sustained PTH secretion.
Parathyroid glands control calcium volume within the blood and bones and its main role is to maintain the calcium level of the body within narrow range. This helps the nervous and muscular systems to function appropriately. When the calcium level of blood drops below a certain range, calcium-activated receptors found within the parathyroid gland get triggered to release PTH into the blood.
Roles of (PTH) Parathyroid Hormone
To fully comprehend the role of parathyroid hormone in the human body system, it is essential to understand calcium & phosphate metabolism. Realistically, there are about 99 percent of the body’s calcium & 85 percent of phosphate stored within the bones. Practically, these compounds don’t only impact the bone, but they play several vital functions within the body in much smaller quantities than what is stored within the bones. When there is a minor change in calcium levels, this will instantly have an impact on the body, though changes won’t be immediately apparent with respect to phosphate levels.
Effect of Parathyroid Hormone on the Bone
Parathyroid Hormone triggers the absorption of phosphate & calcium from the bone and can be said to carry its action in both slow and rapid phase. For the rapid phase, this starts within few seconds of PTH secretion & will last for many hours, causing the osteocytes i.e. the bone cells to absorb phosphate and calcium in the bone. And for the slow phase, this last for days/weeks – and extends the number of osteoclasts (bone cells), thus leading to breakdown of bone and an upsurge in calcium and phosphate level circulation.
Effect of Parathyroid Hormone on Kidneys
Parathyroid Hormone improves the renal tubular calcium reabsorption level in the urine. Short of this effect, about 10 percent of the calcium absorbed from food would be lost in urine every day. Also, PTH improves the secretion of phosphate thus boosting loss of phosphate in urine.
Effect of Parathyroid Hormone on the Gut
PTH improves calcium absorption indirectly by transforming 25 hydroxycholecalciferol found in the kidneys to about 1.25 dihydroxycholecalciferol. Clearly, this is the most potent form of vitamin D and is accountable for boosting intestinal absorption of calcium.
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Nelson Vergel is a chemical engineer who started his search for cutting-edge health knowledge when he was diagnosed with HIV over 30 years ago. Instead of giving into the hopelessness of the deadly diagnosis, he pushed himself to explore therapies to combat wasting syndrome to save his life and those of his peers. He reviewed medical literature and attended numerous health conferences, eventually becoming an advocate member in the National Health Institute (NIH), pharmaceutical research committees, and FDA review panels. To spread survival knowledge, he has given health-related lectures, providing over 700 of them since 1987. Nelson has created popular health forums with over 55,000 members, a health podcast , numerous videos, and has networked with many progressive clinicians. He has been a speaker for 14 pharmaceutical companies on hormones...
