Phosphorus

Phosphorus Facts
• Storage: 85% of phosphorus in the bone
• Total body phosphorus
• 85% in skeleton
• 14% in soft tissue such as muscle
• 1% in blood and body fluids
 Dietary Sources

• Meat, poultry, fish, eggs

• Milk & milk products (1/3 Pi)
• Cereals & grains (80% as Phytate)
• Legumes
• Nuts
• Phosphoric acid in soft drinks
• Organic forms of phosphorus: phospholipids,
phosphoproteins, and phosphorylated sugars
 Digestion and Absorption
Digestion
• Must be in inorganic form for absorption
• Organic form is hydrolyzed enzymatically to
release bound phosphates in the small intestine
by
 Phospholipase C
 Alkaline phosphatase (brush border) –
cleaves it and makes it inorganic

Absorption
• Occurs in small intestine (Duodenum & Jejunum)
• In general, 50-80% absorption rate
• Active transport
• Passive diffusion
 Digestion and Absorption
Active Transport
• Requires energy and a transport protein
( -Pi, cotransporter)
• Saturable
• Regulated by vitamin D
• Minor route of absorption (unless low
intake)

Passive Diffusion
• Requires neither energy nor transport
protein
• Non-saturable
• Major route of absorption
 Digestion and Absorption
• Dietary factors influencing absorption
• Enhancing factors
• Vitamin D (calcitriol) – ↑ activity of Alkaline
Phosphatase
• Inhibiting factors
• Phytate (legumes, nuts, grains) – source of
phosphorus; may be unavailable
• Lack phytase, enzyme that liberates
phosphate from phytic acid
• Yeast in bread
• Bacteria in GI
• Cations (Ca+2 , Mg+2, Al+3) – form complexes
with phosphorus
 Transport and Storage
• About 70% of phosphorus in the
blood is a part of phospholipids
(cell membrane).
• About 30% is dissolved in inorganic
phosphates
Storage
• “Functional stores” in bones
and teeth
To increase serum phosphate concentrations:

•PTH and calcitriol stimulate resorption

(release) of phosphate from bone, possibly
through enhanced alkaline phosphatase activity.

•Calcitriol stimulates phosphorus absorption (to

a limited extent) in the small intestine.

•Calcitriol enhances phosphorus reabsorption in

the kidneys by upregulation of the NaPi2a and
NaPi2c transporters.
 Functions of Phosphorus
see Figure 11.9 Mindtap

• Component of ATP, GTP, and creatine

phosphate
• Enhancement of many cellular reactions and
operations (absorption of many nutrients)
• Muscle cell contraction
• Maintenance of ions across the plasma
membrane
• Structure to cellular membranes
• Strength to bones and teeth
• pH regulation of ECF
• Nucleic acid formation
 Functions
1) Bone mineralization 2) Energy stores
• Hydroxyapatite crystals • Adenosine triphosphate
[Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2] (ATP)
Functions: Structural role
 Excretion
Urinary
• Major route of phosphorus excretion
• High intake leads to high urinary
excretion

Fecal
• Minor route of phosphorus excretion
• May be increased if high intake of
inhibiting factors
 Recommended Intakes
• RDA
• Adults, 19 years and older (both
female and male): 700 mg
Assessment of Nutriture

Serum concentrations and

urinary excretion of phosphorus
are most often assessed to
examine mineral status;
however, their specificity and
sensitivity are low.
 Dietary Sources

Food Serving Phosphorus

Milk 1c 247 mg
Yogurt 8 oz 385 mg
Turkey 3 oz 173 mg
Sardines 3 oz 495 mg
Almonds 1 oz 134 mg
Lentils ½c 178 mg
Cola 12 oz 40 mg
 Deficiency
Deficiency is exceedingly rare, seen in renal disease.
Individuals at risk
• Enteral/parenteral nutrition in malnourished patients
• Phosphate deficiency syndrome or “Refeeding
Syndrome”
• High intake of antacids containing complexing
cations
Symptoms
• Skeletal and cardiac myopathy
• Neurological abnormalities
• Death
Treatment
• Phosphorus or removal of complexing cations
 Toxicity
• Toxicity is extremely rare
• UL for phosphorus
• Adults 19-70 years, 4,000 mg
• Adults 70 years and older, 3,000 mg