Chronic ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) administration causes metabolic acidosis and prevents the normal rise of serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] during a low-calcium diet (LCD, 0.002% calcium). The suppression of serum 1,25(OH)2D3 was not due to reduced parathyroid hormone concentration, elevated serum phosphorus, or total calcium concentration. Acidosis increased blood ionized Ca [Ca2+] and proton [H+] concentrations. Serum 1,25(OH)2D3 levels were inversely correlated with both [Ca2+] and [H+]. To determine the independent effects of [Ca2+] on serum 1,25(OH)2D3 we varied [Ca2+] at a constant [H+] by infusing either EGTA or saline for 24 h after 11 days of LCD and NH4Cl. EGTA, preequilibrated with three concentrations of Ca, lowered [Ca2+] and raised 1,25(OH)2D3 but did not alter [H+] or serum phosphorus concentration. The log of serum 1,25(OH)2D3 varied linearly and inversely with arterial blood [Ca2+] during saline (r = -0.884, n = 8, P less than 0.001) and EGTA infusions (r = -0.798, n = 22, P less than 0.001). At all levels of [Ca2+], rats infused with EGTA had a higher serum 1,25(OH)2D3 than those infused with saline. Log serum 1,25(OH)2D3 was correlated neither with [H+] nor pH. Elevated [Ca2+] and not [H+] appears to suppress the serum 1,25(OH)2D3 response to LCD during NH4Cl acidosis in the rat.