The present study was designed to examine the metabolic changes and early effects of short-term parathyroid hormone (PTH) treatment on bone mass, mineral content, and strength. Forty-eight 10-week-old intact female rats were randomized into six groups. The three PTH-treated groups were subcutaneously given PTH 50 microg/kg body weight daily for 5 (PTH5), 10 (PTH10), or 15 (PTH15) days. The three respective time control groups (C5, C10, and C15) were injected with saline solution. In serum, total calcium, alkaline phosphatase, and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) were analyzed. Bone mass was estimated with wet and dry weights of the femora and hydroxyproline content of the tibiae. Ash weight and calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus contents (determined by AAS) were used to measure femoral mineral content. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the femora was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and the biomechanical properties of the femoral neck were tested. After 5 days of PTH treatment, some trends of the anabolic actions of PTH could be observed, but there was no significant effect on relevant parameters of bone formation. After 10 days, bone mass, mineral content (assessed by ash weight), and BMD of the PTH-treated rats were significantly increased compared with those of controls. The relative femoral magnesium content of the PTH-treated animals was significantly higher than that of controls. After 15 days, the length of the femora, bone mass, mineral content, BMD, and the width of the femoral neck were increased, and its biomechanical properties were significantly improved in PTH-treated rats compared with the respective time control group. PTH treatment significantly increased circulating alkaline phosphatase and decreased systemic IGF-I concentrations throughout the study. In conclusion, intermittent PTH administration to still growing female rats is anabolic in bone with significant effects already taking place after 10 days of treatment. The effects of PTH consisted of: (1) an increase in bone mass and mineral content with a transient augmentation of relative magnesium content; and (2) improved width and mechanical properties of the femoral neck after 15 days of treatment. These effects are accompanied by an increase in longitudinal bone growth. They are unlikely related to any changes in systemic IGF-I concentrations.