Parathyroid hormone levels and aging: Effect on balance.

Falls result in multiple adverse health outcomes including mortality in older persons. Impaired balance is known to increase the risk of falls. Numerous factors play a role in the etiology of balance disturbance. Among the calciotropic hormones, the role of vitamin D in falls risk has been extensively studied. There is evolving interest in the role of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in this area. Elevated PTH hormone levels have been associated with age-related syndromes such as frailty, osteoporosis, and sarcopenia. Among the existing studies, most have focused on muscle strength with few studies evaluating its role in balance disturbances. In this chapter, we will summarize the aspects of PTH and aging, its biological effects on muscle, and the known associations between PTH and balance.