Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)

A hormone that controls calcium balance and bone turnover.

Last reviewedJune 16, 2026

Serum

sample type

~5 mL

blood needed

~7 days

results in app

Morning, 7 to 11am

best timing

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On this page

Why test Reference ranges What you'll learn What affects it How testing works Sources FAQ

In short

Parathyroid hormone, or PTH, is made by four small parathyroid glands in your neck. It is the body's main controller of blood calcium. When calcium drops, PTH rises to release calcium from bone, hold on to calcium in the kidneys, and activate vitamin D.

This feedback loop keeps blood calcium steady. Because of that link, PTH is almost always read together with a calcium result.

Electrolytes & Hydration

Reviewed against DGKL reference practice.

Why test this?

A PTH test helps explain why calcium is high or low. High PTH with high calcium suggests overactive parathyroid glands (primary hyperparathyroidism). High PTH with low or normal calcium can reflect vitamin D deficiency or kidney disease, where the glands work harder to compensate.

Low PTH with high calcium points away from the parathyroid glands, for example toward some cancers. Reading PTH and calcium together is the key to telling these apart.

What is a normal result?

Aniva reads your result against research-backed ranges, not just the lab's wide normal. The reference shown below is specific to this biomarker.

Ranges are guidance and vary by laboratory and assay.

Group	Reference range (SI)
Adults (intact PTH)	1.6 to 6.9 pmol/L

Roughly 15 to 65 pg/mL. Aligned to German laboratory practice (DGKL). Always interpret against your own lab's range.

Ranges are guidance and vary by lab and assay, aligned with DGKL practice. Always read your result against your own lab's reference interval.

What insights will this test give you?

Why a calcium result might be high or low.
A signal that can point toward parathyroid, vitamin D, or kidney involvement.
A value your concierge reads alongside calcium and vitamin D to guide your personalized action plan.

What can affect this result?

What can skew the result

PTH shows a daily rhythm and can vary with the time of the draw. Low vitamin D raises PTH. Reduced kidney function, lithium, and some other medicines affect levels. Samples need careful handling, as delays can lower the result.

Best interpreted with

Always read together with calcium, and usually with vitamin D and phosphate.

How is this tested?

Sample

Serum

Blood needed

~5 mL

Method

Immunoassay

Best timing

Morning, 7 to 11am

Sources. The evidence behind this

LOINC 2731-8: Parathyrin.intact in serum or plasma

Mayo Clinic Laboratories: Parathyroid Hormone, Serum

MedlinePlus: Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) Test

Common questions

Which Aniva panels include this marker?

Osteoporosis

These tests assess parathyroid regulation of calcium and bone metabolism.