title: Age-related changes in parathyroid hormone and 25 hydroxycholecalciferol levels.
abstract: Serum parathyroid hormone and 25 hydroxyvitamin D were measured in 124 normal subjects aged from 20 to 90 years. There was a significant progressive increase in serum parathyroid levels with age associated with a progressive decrease in total serum calcium. After the sixth decade there was a significant reduction of 25 hydroxyvitamin D serum levels. In each age group, there were no significant differences between men and women in all parameters measured. In normal elderly subjects there is an age-related decline of calcium absorption associated with reduced calcium intake and sun exposure leading to secondary hyperparathyroidism. These results emphasize the importance of calcium and vitamin D supplementation in elderly European population, not only in long-stay patients but in ambulatory normal people after 60 years.
mesh_terms: D015652:25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D004872:Ergocalciferols / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006961:Hyperparathyroidism / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D004872:Ergocalciferols; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D015652:25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2; D002118:Calcium