Exploring the mechanism for changes in parathyroid hormone (PTH) during and after endurance exercise

• Grant number: 14/12305-3
• Support type: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): August 01, 2014
• Effective date (End): November 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Effort
• Principal researcher: Bruno Gualano
• Grantee: Ana Jéssica Pinto
• Supervisor abroad: Craig Sale
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Nottingham Trent University, England
• Associated to the scholarship: 13/13126-2 - Assessment of the physical activity level in patients with juvenile Dermatomyositis and juvenile systemic Lupus erythematosus, BP.IC

Abstract

Numerous studies have shown that the parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentration of human blood increases during endurance exercise such as running and cycling, but only when exercise intensity is quite high. Several of these studies have also shown that PTH concentrations are reduced after exercise, but the mechanism that causes these changes remains unknown. In resting humans, a decrease in the concentration of calcium (Ca) in the blood can increase PTH. During exercise Ca increases, but, following exercise, changes in Ca seem to go in the opposite direction and are of the opposite magnitude to PTH changes. Increases in phosphate (PO4) can also increase PTH, and during exercise PO4 is increased, although whether it increases before or after PTH is unknown. Following exercise, decreases in PO4 seem to occur at the same time as those in PTH, suggesting that the PO4 may again be involved in the regulation of PTH with exercise. Scott et al. (in press) showed that, compared to a resting control, PTH concentrations were decreased following acute endurance running, suggesting a true effect of exercise on PTH concentrations post-exercise. The lower PTH concentrations were not fully explained by increased albumin adjusted calcium (ACa), but might be related to decreased PO4 concentrations, or a combination of both (Scott et al. in Press). The lack of information about the time course of changes in PTH, Ca and PO4 currently limits our understanding of this mechanism, so regular measurements during exercise and recovery are required to help answer this question. (AU)