The effect of a standard oral calcium load given in two different forms on plasma ionized calcium and serum PTH

A standard dose (1 g, 25.4 mmol) of calcium was administered both as calcium chloride in syrup and as Calcium-Sandoz Syrup (calcium glubionate and calcium galactogluconate) to 10 volunteers. Both dosage forms caused a significant rise in ionized calcium and a significant fall in concentration of serum PTH, the calcium chloride producing significantly greater changes. The urinary excretion of calcium measured over 5 h after calcium chloride was double that after Calcium-Sandoz. Calcium chloride, as expected, also gave rise to a decreased urine pH. Calcium chloride would be the better choice for an oral PTH suppression test.