The short-term effects of dietary sodium chloride supplementation on calcium balance were examined in an animal model of corticosteroid-mediated osteoporosis. Changes in calcium and phosphate balance, parathyroid function and bone resorption elicited by salt supplements alone (8 g/100 g diet), prednisolone alone (2.2 mg/kg body wt per day) and both salt and prednisolone in combination were measured in rats consuming a low calcium diet (0.1% calcium) for 10 d. Parathyroid function was monitored by measuring urinary cyclic AMP excretion. Bone resorption was monitored by measuring urinary hydroxyproline excretion. Salt alone raised urinary calcium, cyclic AMP and hydroxyproline; prednisolone alone depressed net calcium absorption and urinary hydroxyproline but had no effect on urinary calcium. Salt and prednisolone each depressed calcium retention independently and together produced an additive adverse effect on calcium balance. Thus high dietary salt intakes augment urinary calcium loss, raise parathyroid activity, increase bone resorption and adversely affect calcium balance in prednisolone-treated growing rats with a restricted dietary calcium intake. These findings support the view that high salt intakes may exaggerate bone loss during chronic glucocorticoid therapy. Because people also develop osteoporosis during glucocorticoid therapy and respond to dietary salt supplements by increasing urinary calcium excretion and parathyroid hormone, high salt intakes may accelerate bone loss in patients receiving chronic glucocorticoid therapy. The beneficial effects of dietary salt restriction on the conservation of bone mass warrant investigation in these patients.