How to Lower PTH Levels Naturally

Changing Your Diet for High PTH Levels from Kidney Issues

Lower your phosphate intake by avoiding dairy and processed foods. If you have high PTH levels from kidney disease or failure, lowering your phosphate intake in your diet can help control your PTH levels. However, it's important to discuss a specialized diet with a nutritionist, as your dietary needs may be different from another person with this disease. Foods that are high in phosphates include yogurt, soy milk, milk, enriched rice milk, ice cream, processed and hard cheeses, ricotta and cottage cheese, quick breads, lentils, beans, dried peas (like split or black-eyed), whole grains, processed meats, nut butters, chocolate, and cola. Better choices include non-enriched rice milk, swiss or cream cheese, sherbet, white bread, green peas, non-processed meats, pretzels, hard candy, or popcorn. For beverages, try sparkling water, lemon-lime soda, root beer, or ginger ale.

Take calcium supplements if your doctor recommends them. Under the advice of your doctor, you may need to take calcium supplements. Your doctor may also just have you add more dairy to your diet. However, always discuss it with your doctor first, as they can determine how much you need. This treatment may also be beneficial for older patients who have increased PTH levels due to age.

Discuss vitamin D supplements if you have a deficiency. Similarly, if your vitamin D levels are low, your doctor may recommend getting more sunlight or adding a vitamin D supplement. Your doctor may even want to prescribe a high dose of vitamin D, so discuss this option with your doctor.

Making Lifestyle Changes

Hydrate your body to prevent kidney stones. Dehydration is a risk factor for kidney stones, so drinking more water lowers that risk. Kidney stones can be caused by high PTH levels due to the increased calcium in your blood, so you want to stay as hydrated as possible to help with this issue Aim to get around 15.5 cups (3.7 l) of water a day from beverages and foods if you're a man and 11.5 cups (2.7 l) if you're a woman.

Exercise to reduce complications. While exercising won't lower your PTH levels, it will help keep your bones strong even when your calcium levels are fluctuating. Strength training, in particular, is beneficial, but any exercise is good. Aim for at least 5 30-minute sessions a week.

Quit smoking if you do. Smoking can also lead to bone loss, so if you're doing it when you have high PTH levels, it can lead to complications. It's best to quit smoking if you have this issue.

When to Seek Medical Care

See your doctor if you have hyperparathyroidism symptoms. You might not notice any symptoms of hyperparathyroidism, but it can cause symptoms as it worsens. If you have symptoms, it’s important that you get a proper diagnosis immediately so you can begin treating your condition. Otherwise, your symptoms may continue to worsen. Visit your doctor if you experience the following symptoms: Fragile bones Bone and joint pain Abdominal pain Excess urine Kidney stones Getting easily fatigued Depression Forgetfulness Nausea or vomiting Feeling ill with no cause

Undergo tests to determine the cause of your high PTH levels. Hyperparathyroidism generally falls into 1 of 2 categories. Primary hyperparathyroidism occurs when you have a tumor (usually benign) on your parathyroid or an enlarged parathyroid. Secondary hyperparathyroidism is caused by some other condition, such as low calcium, low vitamin D, or kidney issues. Blood, urine, and imaging tests are all common tests to help pinpoint a diagnosis.

Work with your doctor to treat the underlying cause. The best way to treat your high PTH levels is to treat your underlying condition. Your doctor can help you develop a treatment plan that meets your needs. For a mild case, natural treatments may help. However, it’s possible that your doctor will recommend additional treatments, like medication or surgery, if your symptoms are severe. Follow your doctor’s advice and see them regularly so they can monitor your progress. Your doctor will test your PTH levels often to make sure you’re improving.

Get your vitamin D levels tested before taking a supplement. High PTH levels can develop when your body isn't getting enough calcium or vitamin D. However, too much vitamin D can become harmful, so you shouldn’t take a supplement unless you know your levels are low. Ask your doctor for a simple, painless blood test to check if you have a vitamin D deficiency. Often this condition develops because you're having trouble absorbing these vitamins from your diet, which likely means you're having digestive issues. In that case, you'll likely need to treat the underlying cause first. In other cases, your high PTH levels are caused by another issue, which results in overproduction of PTH and therefore, causes your calcium levels to be TOO high instead.

Discuss your medications to make sure they’re safe. Some medications can increase your calcium levels, which can be bad when your PTH levels are high. Diuretics and lithium can be culprits, so ask your doctor if any of your medications could be causing an issue. Don't forget to discuss any natural remedies you're taking, too. For instance, thiazide diuretic can be an issue.