Short-term effects of calcium carbonate, lactate, and gluconate on the calcium-parathyroid axis in normal elderly men and women.

We evaluated the impact of three calcium salts on the calcium-parathyroid axis in healthy elderly volunteers. Fasting subjects were administered a standardized 1-g calcium load on three occasions, using calcium carbonate, lactate, and gluconate in random sequence with 8 oz milk or orange juice as carrier. Blood and urine were collected at baseline and for 6 h following the calcium load. Each salt rapidly increased the serum-calcium concentration and urinary-calcium excretion. Response duration was shorter with gluconate than with the other salts, but peak responses were similar for all preparations. Urinary-calcium excretion was slightly lower when orange juice replaced milk, but calcemic responses were not different. Changes in immunoreactive-parathyroid hormone and renal-phosphorus handling did not differ among calcium salts. Except for a shorter duration of effect with gluconate, all three calcium salts provided similar short-term suppression of the parathyroid axis.