Comparison of the suppressive effect of two doses (500 mg vs 1500 mg) of oral calcium on parathyroid hormone secretion and on urinary cyclic AMP.

The respective effects of the ingestion of two different doses of calcium (500 and 1500 mg) on serum ionized calcium, intact parathyroid hormone (PTH 1-84), and the urinary excretion of 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cyclic AMP) were evaluated in 15 young male adults. Ionized serum calcium and PTH 1-84 were measured before and 1 hour, 2 hours and 3 hours (P1, P2, and P3) after the oral intake of calcium. Cyclic AMP was measured in 2-hour urine samples collected before and during 4 hours after the ingestion of calcium. Similar increments in serum ionized calcium (delta Ca2+) were observed except at P3 where the delta Ca2+ was significantly (P < 0.02) higher after 1500 mg (0.088 mmol/liter) than after 500 mg of (0.062 mmol/liter). In the same way, the comparison of the PTH 1-84 concentrations showed no statistical difference except at P3 (P < 0.002). When expressed as a percentage of P0, the P1 and P2 PTH 1-84 values were more suppressed after 1500 mg than after 500 mg of calcium (P1: -69% vs -59%; P < 0.02; P2: -66% vs -50%; P < 0.02). However, the simultaneous cyclic AMP responses (-24% vs -19%) were not significantly different. The results show that the respective maximal effects on PTH secretion and on urinary cyclic AMP of two very different oral doses of calcium are only slightly different.