These studies were undertaken to evaluate the effect of different doses of calcitonin on insulin and glucagon responses to intravenous glucase loads and to assess the mechanism/s by which calcitonin inhibits insulin secretion in man. In our studies, even the infusion of the 1-U dose of calcitonin was found to inhibit by 45% the acute insulin response to a glucose (20 g) pulse. This effect was associated with a significant decrease in glucose disappearance rates. These negative effects of calcitonin on both insulin secretion and glucose tolerance were dose-related. The inhibition of the acute insulin response to glucose was 65% and up to 90% with the infusion of the 4- and 8-U doses, respectively. The suppressive effect of glucose on glucagon secretion was significantly reduced by calcitonin. The inhibitory effect of calcitonin on insulin responses to glucose (5 g) and glucose tolerance was reversed by both theophylline and calcium. By contrast, infusion of lysine acetylsalicylate to block the synthesis of endogenous prostaglandins did not diminish the inhibitory effect of calcitonin on insulin secretion. These results demonstrate that a) calcitonin inhibits glucose-induced insulin responses and deteriorates glucose tolerance in normal humans in a dose-dependent manner; b) calcitonin reduces the suppressive effect of glucose on glucagon secretion in a dose-related fashion; and c) both theophylline and calcium reverse the inhibitory effect of calcitonin on insulin secretion. It is hypothesized that calcitonin effects on insulin and glucagon release are mediated via a change in calcium redistribution in the islet cells.