Biomarkers · Bone & Mineral

Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)

Lower values go with lower risk of death. Not measured in our NHANES panel. The curve is drawn from the published study (source below).

PTH and risk of death

Published curve higher than the NHANES fitNHANES fit higher

Risk of death relative to the curve's reference value, drawn from the published study (source below).

Published risk of death1.19×highest vs lowest PTH concentration (95% CI 1.08–1.30) · Meta-analysis of 10 prospective studies (31,616 subjects), general population

PTH by age and sex

Each bar runs from the 5th to the 95th percentile, the darker part from the 25th to the 75th, and the tick is the median. Not a reference range or a target.

The percentiles as a table

Each row is one sex and age band: the values below which 5%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 95% of people fall (pg/mL), from the survey named in the row. Not a reference range or a target.
Sex	Age	5th	25th	Median	75th	95th	n	Cycle / source
All	20-39	17.0	27.0	35.0	45.0	69.0	1,394	NHANES 2005-2006
All	40-59	22.0	31.0	40.0	52.0	75.0	1,372	NHANES 2005-2006
All	60+	23.0	35.0	46.0	61.0	107	1,403	NHANES 2005-2006
All	all	20.0	30.0	39.0	51.0	80.0	4,169	NHANES 2005-2006
Men	20-39	17.0	26.0	33.0	42.0	67.9	740	NHANES 2005-2006
Men	40-59	22.0	31.0	39.0	51.0	74.0	679	NHANES 2005-2006
Men	60+	22.0	34.0	46.0	61.0	107	733	NHANES 2005-2006
Men	all	19.0	29.0	38.0	49.0	77.0	2,152	NHANES 2005-2006
Women	20-39	18.0	28.0	37.0	47.0	70.0	654	NHANES 2005-2006
Women	40-59	21.0	31.0	41.0	53.0	76.0	693	NHANES 2005-2006
Women	60+	23.0	36.0	46.0	61.1	105	670	NHANES 2005-2006
Women	all	20.5	31.0	41.0	53.0	83.0	2,017	NHANES 2005-2006

What studies found when this marker was changed

They describe what happened in those study groups, not a recommendation. See all catalogued interventions.

Measured changes in PTH, study by study

6 effects with a numeric size, each from one study arm: the dot is the reported change, the line its 95% interval where one was given. Green points move the marker the way lower risk of death lies; amber the other way. Study results in the groups studied, not predictions for a person.

Each row is one study: what was changed, the effect it reported on this marker, and the source.
Type	Intervention	Reported effect	Evidence	Source
pharmacologic	Long-term lithium treatment in patients with mood disorders	Lithium treatment associated with parathyroid hormone higher by 7.32 pg/mL (95% CI 3.42-11.23) and calcium +0.09 mmol/L	meta-analysis	McKnight RF, Adida M, Budge K, et al. Lithium toxicity profile: a systematic…
pharmacologic	Vitamin D compounds vs placebo in people with chronic kidney disease not requiring dialysis	Serum PTH fell 49.34 pg/mL (95% CI -85.70 to -12.97) vs placebo; 4 trials, n=153; duration not stated	meta-analysis	Palmer SC, et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009;(4):CD008175.
pharmacologic	Cinacalcet added to standard therapy vs placebo or no treatment in CKD with secondary hyperparathyroidism	Serum PTH fell 281.39 pg/mL (95% CI -325.84 to -234.94) vs control; duration not stated	meta-analysis	Ballinger AE, et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(12):CD006254.
pharmacologic	Lifestyle therapy, Metformin Hydrochloride vs lifestyle therapy plus placebo for 6 months: Diet and Exercise Plus Metformin to Treat Frailty in Obese Seniors	Change in Serum Parathyroid Hormone: +6 pg/mL (95% CI -8.2 to 15.8) vs lifestyle therapy plus placebo at 6 months (posted between-group difference, n=114)	RCT	VA Office of Research and Development. Diet and Exercise Plus Metformin to…
supplement	Oral vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) supplementation vs control in adults, meta-analysis of RCTs	Serum PTH fell 12.77 pg/mL (95% CI -20.03 to -5.51) vs control; 26 articles; duration not stated	meta-analysis	Lai J, et al. Nutr Rev. 2026;84(3):571-583.
supplement	Moderate-dose oral vitamin D (3200 IU/day) vs placebo in adults with obesity undergoing bariatric surgery	Achieved PTH was 6.60 pg/mL lower (95% CI -17.12 to 3.92) vs placebo; 1 trial, n=79; duration not stated	meta-analysis	Chakhtoura MT, et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2024;10():CD011800.

What else moves this marker

They describe those study groups, not an individual, and an association is not a cause.

Genetic predisposition

Each row is one study: what it compared and the change it reported in this marker.
What	Effect on the marker	Comparison · population	Source
↑ rs6127099 upstream of CYP24A1 · per minor allele, serum PTH	+7 % higher serum PTH per allele per allele	per additional copy of the rs6127099 minor allele · 29,155 participants of European ancestry from 13 cohorts (22,653 discovery, 6502 replication)	gwas · PMID 27927781

Sources

Risk curve: Yang B 2016 (PMID 26835752): all-cause RR 1.19 (1.08-1.3) highest vs lowest PTH concentration. Scaled to US values (NHANES).
Yang B, Lu C, Wu Q, Zhang J, Zhao H, Cao Y. Parathyroid hormone, cardiovascular and all-cause mortality: A meta-analysis. Clin Chim Acta. 2016;455:154-160.

Map Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) against another biomarker.

Map PTH against another marker