Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 26, 2026

Generation of Hypoparathyroid Rats via Carbon-Nanoparticle-Assisted Parathyroidectomy
Published on: July 14, 2023
Physical Activity and the Risk of Primary Hyperparathyroidism
Anand Vaidya1, Gary C Curhan1, Julie M Paik1
1Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Hypertension (A.V.), Division of Renal Medicine (G.C.C., J.M.P.), Channing Division of Network Medicine (G.C.C., J.M.P., E.N.T.), Brigham and Women's Hospital (A.V., G.C.C., J.M.P., E.N.T.), Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School (A.V., J.M.P.), Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Epidemiology (G.C.C. J.M.P., M.W.), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Nephrology and Transplantation (E.N.T.), Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine 02115.
Context:
Primary hyperparathyroidism (P-HPTH) is relatively common and predominantly affects women. Prior studies have shown that physical activity (PA) can lower PTH levels.
Objective:
Our objective was to evaluate the hypothesis that lower PA is a risk factor for developing P-HPTH.
Design, Setting, And Participants:
This prospective cohort study included 69 621 female participants in the Nurses' Health Study I followed for 22 years.
Exposures:
PA and other dietary and demographic exposures were quantified via detailed, and validated, biennial questionnaires.
Outcomes:
Incident P-HPTH was confirmed by medical record review after initial assessment by questionnaire. Adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate whether PA was an independent risk factor for developing P-HPTH. We also evaluated the risk of developing P-HPTH when combining low PA (<16 metabolic equivalent hours/week) with a previously identified independent risk factor for developing P-HPTH: low calcium intake (<800 mg/day). The relation between PA and PTH levels was evaluated in 625 participants.
Results:
We confirmed 302 incident cases of P-HPTH during 1 474 993 person-years of follow-up. Participants in the highest quintile (Q) of PA had a 50% lower risk of developing P-HPTH: age-adjusted relative risks and 95% confidence intervals for incident P-HPTH by lowest to highest of PA were Q1 = 1.0 (reference); Q2 = 0.83 (0.60–1.15); Q3 = 0.84 (0.61–1.15); Q4 = 0.50 (0.34–0.74); Q5 = 0.50 (0.35–0.73); P for trend <.001. Extensive multivariable adjustments did not materially change these findings. The adjusted relative risk for developing P-HPTH among participants with the combination lower PA and lower calcium intake was 2.37-fold (1.60–3.51) higher than in participants with higher PA and higher calcium intake. PA was inversely correlated with serum PTH (ρ = −0.09, P = .03); the mean adjusted serum PTH in Q 2–5 of PA was lower than in Q 1 (36.3 vs 39.1 pg/mL, P = .02).
Conclusion:
Low physical activity may be a modifiable risk factor for developing P-HPTH in women.
More Related Videos
07:12Establishment of a Simple and Effective Rat Model for Intraoperative Parathyroid Gland Imaging
Published on: August 17, 2022
07:13Two Techniques to Create Hypoparathyroid Mice: Parathyroidectomy Using GFP Glands and Diphtheria-Toxin-Mediated Parathyroid Ablation
Published on: March 14, 2017
Related Concept Videos
The Parathyroid Glands
Oxyphil cells, whose functions remain elusive, emerge during late puberty, adding a layer of complexity to the parathyroid gland's intricacies. In contrast, principal parathyroid cells undertake a vital role by...
Hormones and Bone Tissue
Hormones That Influence Osteoblasts and/or Maintain the Matrix
Several hormones are necessary for controlling bone growth and maintaining the bone matrix. The pituitary gland secretes growth hormone (GH), which, as its name implies, controls bone growth. This happens in several ways: first, it triggers chondrocyte...
Peripheral Artery Disease I: Introduction
Skeleton and Calcium Homeostasis
Peripheral Artery Disease III: Interprofessional Care
Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...