Effects on calcium and phosphate metabolism and on parathyroid function of acute administration of tricalcium...

The effects of the ingestion of tricalcium phosphate on calcium and phosphate metabolism and on parathyroid function were evaluated in 10 young adults. Each subject was studied during a control period of two hours before and during an experimental period of four hours after ingestion of a single oral dose of tricalcium phosphate containing 1500 mg of calcium and 770 mg of phosphorus. Serum and urinary calcium and phosphate and the nephrogenous cAMP fraction were measured. Significant rises in serum (from 2.32 +/- 0.05 to 2.44 +/- 0.08 mmol/l) and urinary (from 1.08 +/- 0.65 to 3.43 +/- 1.38 mumols/l GF) calcium and in serum phosphate (from 1.05 +/- 0.18 to 1.28 +/- 0.14 mmol/l) occurred. Unexpectedly, the acute supply of calcium in the form of tricalcium phosphate did not provoke significant alteration of nephrogenous cAMP level. In order to assess the respective effects of calcium and of phosphate, similar tests with ingestion of similar amounts either of calcium (as a glucoheptogluconate salt) or of phosphate were subsequently performed in the same subjects. Significant increases in serum total calcium were observed after calcium glucoheptogluconate as after tricalcium phosphate. However, the effects on parathyroid function differed, since a significant (p less than 0.001) decrease in nephrogenous cAMP followed the ingestion of calcium glucoheptogluconate. Otherwise, a stimulating effect of phosphate on parathyroid function was observed. These findings suggest that the respective effects of calcium and of phosphate are counterbalanced when administered as tricalcium phosphate, resulting in the absence of parathyroid suppression.