A 41-year-old member asked:
How do the parathyroid glands work?
2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in
Dr. Richard Shewbridgeanswered
Endocrinology 35 years experience
Calcium regulation.: The parathyroid glands are continously checking the calcium level in the blood. If the level drops too low, the gland produces more parathyroid hormone (pth), which has several actions to promote calcium coming into the blood. The gland also contains c cells, which make a separate hormone, calcitonin, which has some effects on bone metabolism.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Nader Kalantaranswered
ENT and Head and Neck Surgery 17 years experience
Regulates calcium.: They make parathyroid hormone (PTH), which regulates the body's calcium and phosphate levels. These levels are important for normal nerve and muscle function. PTH tells bone to break down and release calcium into the blood. In the gut, it converts vitamin D to its active form which absorbs more calcium. It also tells kidneys to allow less calcium and phosphate to leave the body through urine.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Similar questions
A 35-year-old member asked:
What are the parathyroid glands?
3 doctor answers • 9 doctors weighed in
Dr. Joseph Roosthanswered
Internal Medicine 37 years experience
Parathyroid Glands: The parathyroid glands are 4 small groups of tissue that sit behind the thyroid gland. They make parathyroid hormone or PTH which is involved in calcium metabolism. Too much PTH causes the calcium level in the blood to go up. An overactive parathyroid gland is often diagnosed when a routine blood test shows a high calcium level.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:
What does the parathyroid gland do?
1 doctor answer • 4 doctors weighed in
Dr. Melissa Younganswered
Endocrinology 11 years experience
Regulate calcium: The parathyroid glands secrete a hormone that keeps the level of calcium in the blood from falling. It does this by pulling calcium from the bone and by preventing loss of calcium through the kidney. It is also necessary to convert vitamin d into its active form, which in turn increases calcium absorption in the gut.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated May 5, 2016
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