If you are calcium deficient, which hormone is most likely to increase in your body?

When there is a calcium deficiency in the body, the parathyroid hormone (PTH) is the hormone that is most likely to increase. PTH is secreted by the parathyroid glands and plays a critical role in regulating calcium levels in the blood. Its primary function is to increase calcium concentration when it falls below normal levels.

In the event of calcium deficiency, PTH enhances the release of calcium from bones into the bloodstream, stimulates an increase in intestinal absorption of calcium (often through the activation of vitamin D), and reduces the excretion of calcium through the kidneys. This coordinated response helps to restore serum calcium levels back to a healthy range.

While insulin, calcitonin, and growth hormone have various roles in the body, they do not play a direct role in responding to low calcium levels in the same manner as PTH. Insulin primarily regulates blood sugar levels, calcitonin helps to lower blood calcium levels, and growth hormone is involved in growth and metabolism but does not directly influence calcium homeostasis. Thus, an increase in parathyroid hormone is the body's appropriate response to address calcium deficiency.