Our endocrine system has many glands, the parathyroid gland being one of the major ones. Situated in the throat region, the parathyroid gland is near your body's thyroid gland. The parathyroid gland secretes the parathyroid hormone, which regulates your bone and calcium metabolism and performs a lot of internal functions. Your bone and calcium metabolism regulation depends a lot on the parathyroid hormone or PTH.
PTH is a hormone that controls the use of calcium in the body and also regulates other minerals, such as phosphorus. Moreover, this important hormone also manages the body's vitamin D levels. The fluctuation of PTH can lead to disturbance in the assimilation of calcium in the body. Too much or too little of PTH in the body can cause health problems in people.
What is the PTH or Parathyroid hormone?
Many hormones in our body work as regulators and enzymes that trigger internal processes and metabolic pathways. The Parathyroid hormone is a major hormone released by the parathyroid glands present in our body. There are four small, pea-sized parathyroid glands situated near the thyroid gland of our body. The function of parathyroid hormone is to regulate the level of calcium in your blood.
If the gland releases too little PTH, it can lead to a condition called hypocalcemia, which is a low level of calcium in your body. However, if the PTH levels are higher than usual, you could also suffer from hypercalcemia or abnormally high levels of calcium in your body. The fluctuation of optimal calcium levels in your blood can lead to health problems triggered by the endocrine glands.
Apart from the regulation of calcium levels in your blood, there are other functions, too. For example, the parathyroid glands also release PTH when it detects that the calcium level in your blood is subpar. Different parts of the body are affected by the action of PTH and its release from the Parathyroid glands. Due to the low level of calcium in your blood, the PTH induces the release of calcium from your bones so that the mineral can mix with your blood plasma.
The PTH also affects the functions of the kidney. When your blood calcium levels are low, the PTH triggers a reaction from the kidneys, which does not allow calcium to pass from the blood to urine. This is done to regulate calcium to its optimal level in the blood. The kidneys are also instructed by the PTH to create active vitamin D.
The Parathyroid hormone also regulates the function of assimilation and absorption of calcium from the small intestine. The PTH signals the small intestine walls to absorb more calcium from your diet to make up for low calcium levels in your blood.
The regulation of PTH release
According to studies, released and active PTH only has its activity for a few minutes. When the calcium level in your blood is high, the PTH is stopped from releasing. However, this is the function of a healthy gland. There is a natural, biochemically maintained feedback loop that regulates the release of parathyroid hormone from the glands.
Low calcium levels in the blood trigger the release of the hormone from the Parathyroid glands. However, when the calcium levels are back up through absorption, the Parathyroid gland gets the signal that the calcium levels are high, and it stops the release of PTH. This is a feedback loop controlled by calcium levels in the blood for a healthy parathyroid system.
However, when there is a tumour or hyperplasia the Parathyroid gland, or the gland goes through some internal damage, then the PTH release and regulation loop does not work properly. The defect in the PTH regulation cycle causes a lot of metabolic health issues and other problems in your body especially bones. It causes reabsorption of calcium from the bones ,hence making the bones weaker.
Why is calcium absorption important for your body?
The calcium levels in your blood are important for the maintenance of your internal organs and bones. Parathyroid hormone levels regulate the calcium levels in your blood to help you maintain proper function of the skeletal and nervous systems. For example, calcium is very important for your bone strength.
Your bones will be strong and well-protected if the parathyroid glands work properly. Moreover, the nervous system and functions of nerves are also maintained by PTH and calcium absorption. Calcium is a mineral that plays a huge role in neural communication, so PTH is a biochemical that affects your nervous system, too.
The mineral is also important for the proper function of neuromuscular junctions as it helps relay the neural message to muscle cells. The muscle cells contract due to optimal calcium levels in the blood. To avoid neuromuscular weakness and pain, you need to intake the recommended dosage of calcium every day.
The mineral also has a hand in the way your circulatory system and pulmonary systems work. Calcium in blood regulates the formation of blood clots, so it is a major mineral for the function of the heart and for injury and repair. Therefore, parathyroid glands and PTH affect multiple organ systems of the body.
PTH testing and levels
The doctor might suggest you get PTH tests done if you are suffering from symptoms such as pain in your limbs and joints. This indicates that calcium is low in your blood, and this might be linked with PTH levels. The PTH test is also suggested when you frequently get the urge to urinate and are having urinary stones. This urge to urinate is due to high levels of calcium being excreted in the urine
Muscle aches and weaknesses are also signs of parathyroid hormone imbalance. Fatigue and a decrease in appetite are also common signs of high levels of PTH. If someone shows signs of clinical depression, then the doctor might suggest PTH tests to diagnose the underlying causes. The optimal level of PTH in the blood is 15 to 65 picograms per millilitre (pg/mL).
Final words
At Agilus Diagnostics, we have a range of hormone-level tests, including PTH testing. We accurately report changes in PTH levels and any fluctuation in blood calcium levels. The PTH testing process is a simple process where the sample is your blood. You should get your hormone level tested regularly to screen for possible diseases or risks.
