Failure to detect acute effects of insulin hypoglycemia on serum PTH and calcium in normal subjects

The effect of insulin induced hypoglycemic stress on parathyroid hormone serum level in man were evaluated. Porcine crystalline insulin (0.2 U kg-1 i.v.) caused symptomatic hypoglycemia and increase of adrenaline level in serum in all subjects. In the present study we could not detect any significant effects of insulin and of insulin induced hypoglycemia on serum parathormone and calcium levels, though such hypoglycemia is a potent stimulus to endogenous catecholamine secretion. The results support the view that the adrenergic system does not play any major role in regulating the secretion of parathormone which is contrasting to some findings reported by others.