Calcitonin (Salmon)

An FDA-approved peptide hormone used to treat osteoporosis and Paget's disease by inhibiting bone resorption.

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This information is for educational purposes. Peptide therapy should be guided by a licensed healthcare provider. Connect with a Noho clinician

What is Calcitonin (Salmon)?

Calcitonin is a 32-amino acid peptide hormone naturally produced by the thyroid gland's parafollicular C-cells. Salmon calcitonin is 40-50 times more potent than human calcitonin and is FDA-approved for treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis and Paget's disease of bone. It works by directly inhibiting osteoclast activity, reducing bone resorption.

Why People Talk About It

Osteoporosis treatment

Strong

Paget's disease management

Strong

Pain relief from bone fractures

Moderate

Hypercalcemia treatment

Strong

How It Works

Calcitonin tells the cells that break down bone (osteoclasts) to stop working. This slows bone loss and can help relieve pain from bone conditions like osteoporosis and fractures.

Common Questions

Safety Information

Important Safety Notes

Common Side Effects

Nasal irritation (nasal spray)NauseaFlushingInjection site reactions

Cautions

• FDA warning about potential cancer risk with long-term use
• Not first-line therapy for osteoporosis anymore
• Antibody formation may reduce efficacy over time

What We Don't Know

Long-term cancer risk concerns have limited its use, though the absolute risk increase appears small.

Published Research

11 studies

Can calcitonin nasal spray reduce the risk of recurrence of central giant cell granuloma of the jaws? A double-blind clinical trial

Randomized Controlled TrialPMID: 26993105

Patient responsiveness to calcitonin salmon nasal spray: a subanalysis of a 2-year study

Randomized Controlled TrialPMID: 8565031

Development of Calcitonin Salmon Nasal Spray: similarity of peptide formulated in chlorobutanol compared to benzalkonium chloride as preservative

Comparative StudyPMID: 19226627

Comparative effects of eel calcitonin, salmon calcitonin and [Asu1,7]eel calcitonin on hypophyseal and osteoblastic function

Comparative StudyPMID: 8213232

Calcitonin for osteoporosis and bone pain

ReviewPMID: 14529539

Calcitonin and Bone Physiology: In Vitro, In Vivo, and Clinical Investigations

ReviewPMID: 32963524

High-throughput method for Peptide mapping and Amino acid sequencing for Calcitonin Salmon in Calcitonin Salmon injection using Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography - High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) with the application of Bioinformatic tools

PreclinicalPMID: 38479303

Calcitonin (FORTICAL, MIACALCIN) for the treatment of vertebral compression fractures

PreclinicalPMID: 34745472

Impurities identification and quantification for calcitonin salmon by liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry

PreclinicalPMID: 32247161

Experts recommend against calcitonin-salmon for postmenopausal osteoporosis

PreclinicalPMID: 23552038

Stability of calcitonin salmon in nasal spray at elevated temperatures

PreclinicalPMID: 11977855

Always consult a qualified clinician

This information is for educational purposes. Peptide therapy should be guided by a licensed healthcare provider. Connect with a Noho clinician