Calcitonin is a hormone that is produced by the thyroid gland. It lowers the level of calcium and phosphate in the blood. It is a polypeptide hormone and is made up of 32 amino acids. It acts by reducing the effects of calcium and is secreted in the thyroid glands. It plays an important role in the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus and opposes the role played by the parathyroid hormones. Calcitonin also plays a vital role in the formation of bone and its remodeling. As a medication, calcitonin is prescribed in patients with Paget’s disease, hypercalcemia, osteoporosis, and others. Calcitonin reduces the level of calcium present in the blood by reducing the activity of cells called osteoclasts in the bones. It also promotes the activity of osteoblasts that promotes the formation of new bones. Due to calcitonin’s action in the intestine, calcium absorption is reduced. When calcitonin levels are high in the body, it might an indicator of medullary thyroid carcinoma. The secretion of calcitonin is regulated by levels of calcium in the blood. When levels of calcium are high in blood, calcitonin is secreted and when levels of calcium drops, levels of calcitonin also drop. People with diabetes mellitus tend to have thyroid disease as a comorbidity. Insulin resistance is known to cause both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Uncontrolled diabetes leads to fluctuations in total T3, T4, and TSH levels. When it comes to the function of calcitonin, a global study revealed that the baseline levels of serum calcitonin were high for people with diabetes when compared to non-diabetics. This was higher in women when compared to men.
Locate Clinic
