Thanks for asking! Patients are often told to avoid high-calcium foods like dairy products when they are diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism. But in most cases, this isn’t really necessary (unless you are eating absolutely insane amounts of dairy, which is not good for you anyway!).

If you have primary hyperparathyroidism, your calcium is high because you have an overactive parathyroid gland that is making too much PTH, which then raises your blood calcium level. It is very difficult to raise your blood calcium level just with food. I tell people to continue to eat a healthy diet, with calcium products. A normal amount of dairy and leafy green vegetables is not going to significantly raise your calcium, even if you have parathyroid disease.

There is something that will raise your calcium further, though: Vitamin D supplements. I’m always a little disappointed when a doctor tells a parathyroid patient to absolutely avoid all calcium in food, but then prescribes Vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D is a hormone that works by increasing your intestinal absorption of calcium, thus raising your blood calcium level, which is not what you want to do.

Here are my recommendations regarding diet for patients with primary hyperparathyroidism: 1. Do not take Vitamin D or calcium supplements. These can raise your calcium level further - particularly the Vitamin D! 2. Eat a regular diet. 3. Stay well-hydrated. Dehydration can bump up your calcium level.

You don’t have to eliminate all calcium from your diet, since that isn’t going to fix the problem. Parathyroid surgery is the only cure for primary hyperparathyroidism, so I recommend getting that when you can.