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Phosphorus Benefits
Bone Health
Element proves essential for
strong teeth as well
By Charles Sebastian, Staff Writer
It’s no big secret that muscle tone
diminishes as we age. Arthritis sets
in, posture is compromised and
bones become brittle. Breaks from
falls account for a large percentage
of hospitalizations in the elderly, and
while the breaks may not be the finishing blow, they are often the start
for something else; convalescing with
a broken hip is much different for a
20-year old versus an 80-year old.
Phosphorus as an elemental solid
has an atomic weight of 15 on the
Periodic Table and is essential to life.
There are two main types of phosphorus, red and white. These do not
occur naturally, but trace elements are
found in many rocks and certain soils,
as well as RNA, DNA, adennosine
triphosphate (ATP) and phospholipids. All of these are integral to human
cellular composition.
While the average human takes in
and releases 1 to 3 grams of phosphorus per day, making sure we have an
adequate amount primarily through
diet is essential as we age. Calcium
phosphate hardens bones and goes
into hydroxyapatite, the main component of bones and teeth. Phosphate is
the term applied to the usable form of
phosphorus. Phosphorus also plays a
major part in how fast bone growth
occurs. Aside from diet, another
major contributor to the development of hydroxyapatite is drinking
water with fluoride. The fluoride
added to the water in most developed
nations serves to further harden the
hydroxyapatite, thereby strengthening
teeth and bones.
Malnutrition is a major factor in
phosphate deficiency, along with the
body’s inability to absorb phosphorus
or if you pass it out of the body too
quickly through urination. Diarrhea
is one sign of having too much phosphorus in the body. In the instance of
acquiring too much or secreting too
little, calcification of organs can occur
in the body.
Most diets with a generous amount
of protein and calcium provide people with the phosphorus they need to
operate and function. Milk, meat and
cheese are great sources for protein
and phosphorus.
In an article dated June 2012
in the Nutrition Review, a group
of researchers found a causal link
between the increase in phosphorus
intake in underdeveloped countries
and cardiovascular disease. While
this link is still being examined, it
&
Calcium phosphate hardens bones
and goes into hydroxyapatite, the
main component of bones and
teeth.
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37
seems the old maxim applies here:
“Too much of anything is bad for
you.” For patients suffering from kidney disease and low blood pressure,
phosphorus presents even more of an
issue, making it doubly hard to manage the phosphorus RDA. Cutting
out processed foods and sticking to a
sensible diet once again comes to the
rescue. Vitamin D is also essential for
the absorption of phosphorus into
the body. Phosphorus can also be
taken in pill form if you’re struggling
with integrating more of it into your
daily meal plan. Too much calcium
can also lead to a lesser amount of
phosphorus in the body and tax the
kidneys. All these factors should be
considered when looking into this
irreplaceable element for our health
and wellness.