How Calcitonin works

Calcitonin has the structure similar to calcitonin, a natural hormone that prevents bone loss.

Side Effects

Nausea, Vomiting, Flushing of face, Injection site inflammation

Usage

Calcitonin is used in the treatment of post menopausal osteoporosis and increased calcium levels in blood due to cancer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is Calcitonin a steroid hormone/ peptide hormone/ bisphosphonate/ thyroid hormone?

Calcitonin is not a steroid hormone/ peptide hormone/ bisphosphonate. However, Calcitonin occurs naturally in the body. It is also available as a man-made polypeptide hormone

Q. Is calcitonin lipid soluble/ hydrophilic/ water soluble?

Calcitonin is a hydrophilic, water soluble hormone

Q. Is Calcitonin effective for osteoporosis?

Calcitonin is a naturally occurring thyroid hormone which is used to prevent and to treat thinning and weakening of the bone (osteoporosis) in post-menopausal women

Q. Does Calcitonin stimulate osteoclasts?

Osteoclast is a type of bone cell which carry out dissolution and absorption of bone. Calcitonin is a naturally occurring hormone secreted by thyroid gland in the body, which stops the activity of osteoclasts, thereby stops bone removal by the osteoclasts

Q. Does Calcitonin stimulate/ inhibit osteoblast activity/ stimulate bone growth?

Osteoblast is a type of bone cell which carry out bone formation. Whether Calcitonin stimulates or promotes the bone formation or resorption by the osteoblasts is uncertain

Q. Does Calcitonin cause cancer?

Long term treatment with Calcitonin for osteoporosis and osteoarthritis has shown an increase in the risk of cancer in clinical trials

Q. Does calcitonin increases calcium levels?

Calcitonin does not increase calcium levels. It is a naturally occurring hormone secreted by the thyroid gland in the body, which is used to reduce high calcium levels in the blood (hypercalcemia) due to cancer

Q. Does Calcitonin decreases phosphate?

Yes, Calcitonin decreases phosphate resorption by direct action on the kidney.