Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)

Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) is an important regulator of calcium metabolism, increasing when dietary calcium is insufficient to maintain a normal amount in the blood 1. This hormone has various effects, including contributing to inflammation, calcification of soft tissues, and decreased respiratory energy production 1. High parathyroid hormone levels can also be destructive to the hair follicle, and lowering it with Vitamin D and calcium is protective for both heart disease and hair follicles 5.

Parathyroid hormone works by pulling calcium out of bones for emergency use in the blood, but when aldosterone and PTH are high, you get increased blood calcium and calcification of soft tissues 4. This is because PTH blocks mitochondrial metabolism and turns on lactic acid production, which takes calcium out of the bones and deposits it in soft tissues where it shouldn't be 5. The parathyroid hormone is also inflammatory, increases serotonin, and influences numerous other adaptive stress hormones 8.

A high intake of calcium, such as from milk or eggshell calcium, can help to compensate for low vitamin D and lower parathyroid hormone levels 3. Vitamin D, in particular, is essential for regulating calcium metabolism, and a deficiency can lead to an increase in parathyroid hormone 6. A generous amount of vitamin D and calcium can help to normalize parathyroid gland function, which may have been enlarged due to prolonged vitamin D deficiency 3.