Re: Parathyroid Gland and Calcium?

[Guest guest]

I have to admit that some of my past habits definitely contributed to my bone issues so that I am almost 99.9% sure that it was not really the implants that did this to me. As I have said I don't believe that this is caused by my implants, I think I have had this for awhile and that it had to do with my stupid habits as a teen and young adult, which is why I have said that I am cured of implant illness, I think the other stuff is unrelated, though the implants may have sped things up. I also have had problems with my teeth for years.

I didn't have the implants that long, so I am not convinced that they could have messed up my bones in 18 months, the other things I did including smoking and poor diet I did those for man years.

Anyhow just thought I would share this with you all so you understand that when I say I am cured of implant illness this is why I still have some pain that I believe is bone pain and not necesarily implant related.

Love ya

----- Original Message -----

From: ~*Patty*~

Sent: Saturday, May 11, 2002 9:13 PM

Subject: Parathyroid Gland and Calcium?

Patty's note: This information makes me wonder if there is any connection with our calcium metabolism problems and a negative effect of implants on the Parathyroid?

Parathyroid glands are small glands of the endocrine system which are located behind the thyroid. There are four parathyroid glands which are normally about the size of a pea. They are shown in this picture as the mustard yellow glands behind the pink thyroid gland. This is their normal color. The sole purpose of the parathyroid glands are to regulate the calcium level in our bodies within a very narrow range so that the nervous and muscular systems can function properly. Although they are neighbors and both part of the endocrine system, the thyroid and parathyroid glands are otherwise unrelated. The single major disease of parathyroid glands is overactivity of one or more of the parathyroids which make too much parathyroid hormone causing a potentially serious calcium imbalance. This is called hyperparathyroidism.

The sole purpose of the parathyroid glands is to control calcium within the blood in a very tight range between 8.5 and 10.5. In doing so, they also control how much calcium is in the bones, and therefore, how strong and dense the bones are. Although the parathyroid glands are intimately related to the thyroid gland anatomically, they have no related function. The thyroid gland regulates the body’s metabolism and has no effect on calcium levels while parathyroid glands regulate calcium levels and have no effect on metabolism. Calcium is the primary element which causes muscles to contract. Calcium levels are also very important to the normal conduction of electrical currents along nerves. Knowing these two major functions of calcium helps explain why people can get a tingling sensation in their fingers or cramps in the muscles of their hands when calcium levels drop below 8.5. Likewise, too high a calcium level can cause a person to feel run down, cause them to sleep poorly, make them more irritable than usual, and even cause a decrease in memory. Even though half of patients with this disease will state that they feel just fine, after an operation more than 80 percent of these patients will claim to "feel much better"! Some say its like "someone turned the lights on".

NORMAL PARATHYROID ACTIVITY

Although the four parathyroid glands are quite small, they are very vascular. This suits them well since they are required to monitor the calcium level in the blood 24 hours a day. As the blood filters through the parathyroid glands, they detect the amount of calcium present in the blood and react by making more or less parathyroid hormone (PTH). When the calcium level in the blood is too low, the cells of the parathyroids sense it and make more parathyroid hormone. Once the parathyroid hormone is released into the blood, it circulates to act in a number of places to increase the amount of calcium in the blood (like removing calcium from bones). When the calcium level in the blood is too high, the cells of the parathyroids make less parathyroid hormone (or stop making it altogether), thereby, allowing calcium levels to decrease. This feed-back mechanism runs constantly, thereby maintaining calcium (and parathyroid hormone) in a very narrow "normal" range.

HOW DOES PARATHYROID HORMONE INCREASE BLOOD CALCIUM ?

Like all endocrine glands, parathyroids make a hormone (a small protein capable of causing distant cells in the body to react in a specific manner). Parathyroid hormone (PTH) has a very powerful influence on the cells of the bones which causes them to release their calcium into the bloodstream. Calcium is the main structural component of bones which give them their rigidity. Under the presence of parathyroid hormone, bones will give up their calcium in an attempt to increase the blood level of calcium. Under normal conditions, this process is very highly tuned and the amount of calcium in our bones remains at a normal high level. Under the presence of too much parathyroid hormone, however, the bones will continue to release their calcium into the blood at a rate which is too high resulting in bones which have too little calcium. This condition is called osteopenia and osteoporosis and is illustrated in the bone segment on the top which has larger "pores" and less bone mass. When bones are exposed to high levels of parathyroid hormone for several years they become brittle and much more prone to fractures. Another way in the parathyroid hormone acts to increase blood levels of calcium is through its influence on the intestines. Under the presence of parathyroid hormone the lining of the intestine becomes more efficient at absorbing calcium normally found in our diet.