The relationships of Sr intestinal absorption and renal excretion with biohumoral factors regulating Ca metabolism were studied in 47 normocalciuric subjects with Ca kidney stones. Sr concentrations were measured in serum and urine after an oral load of stable Sr (30.2 mumol/kg body wt). Enteral absorption of the ion (9.77 +/- 0.438 mmol.L-1.min, 240 min after Sr administration), expressed as the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC), and renal clearance (CRE) in these subjects during the test (2.80 +/- 0.336 mL/min) were not different from values for 27 controls. CRE was not correlated with AUCs. Plasma concentrations of parathyroid hormone (PTH) negatively correlated with AUCs (P < 0.01) and correlated with CRE after one outlier was excluded (P < 0.05). Plasma concentrations of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D correlated positively with AUCs (P < 0.01) when normalized to the plasma concentration of PTH. Multiple stepwise regression showed that PTH and phosphatemia were significantly related to AUC values at 240 min (P < 0.01). These findings suggest that Sr absorption and excretion reflect the regulation of Ca metabolism, but some differences in renal handling of the two ions may exist.