Is Phosphorus safe?

Introduction

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient required for various physiological functions in both humans and animals. It is commonly found in food, either naturally or as an additive. However, the safety of phosphorus, particularly in high amounts, has been a subject of research due to potential health risks.

Key Insights

Regulatory Status and General Safety:
- Inorganic phosphates are considered "Generally Recognized As Safe" (GRAS) by the FDA and are allowed in food by the European Union. They exhibit low oral, inhalation, and dermal toxicities when daily consumption remains below 70 mg/kg/day.
Impact on Animal Health:
- High phosphorus intake from inorganic sources (e.g., NaH2PO4, KH2PO4) in dogs can disrupt calcium and phosphorus homeostasis, potentially harming renal, cardiovascular, and skeletal health.
- Commercial dicalcium phosphates used in animal nutrition were found to be safe according to various chemical and physical evaluations.
Human Health Concerns:
- Excessive dietary phosphorus can disrupt hormonal regulation of phosphate, calcium, and vitamin D, leading to disordered mineral metabolism, vascular calcification, impaired kidney function, and bone loss.
- High phosphorus intake is associated with vascular and renal calcification, renal tubular injury, and increased mortality in animal models. Limited human studies suggest a correlation with renal calcification and albuminuria.
Environmental and Agricultural Impact:
- Excessive use of phosphorus fertilizers can lead to environmental issues such as water pollution and soil fertility depletion. Phosphorus-solubilizing microorganisms offer a sustainable alternative for improving soil fertility without environmental hazards.
Plant Toxicity:
- Excessive phosphorus in plants can lead to toxicity, disrupting photosynthesis and reactive oxygen species defense systems, as observed in rice and tomato plants .
Therapeutic Use:
- Intravenous phosphorus therapy has been shown to be safe and effective for treating severe hypophosphatemia in patients with normal renal function.

Conclusion

Phosphorus is generally safe when consumed within recommended limits. However, excessive intake, particularly from inorganic sources, can pose significant health risks, including disrupted mineral metabolism and potential harm to renal and cardiovascular health. In agriculture, overuse of phosphorus fertilizers can lead to environmental issues, though sustainable alternatives exist. Further research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects of high phosphorus intake and to develop safer dietary and agricultural practices.

Is Phosphorus safe?

Summary

Consensus Meter

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

Toxicological review of inorganic phosphates.

Inorganic phosphates are generally considered safe for human consumption, with low oral, inhalation, and dermal toxicities, and humans unlikely to experience adverse effects when daily phosphorus consumption remains below 70 mg/kg/day.

Chemical and physical evaluations of commercial dicalcium phosphates as sources of phosphorus in animal nutrition.

Commercial dicalcium phosphates are safe for use in animal nutrition, with variations in particle size and phosphorus solubility, and are in compliance with NRC standards.

Effects of dietary phosphates from organic and inorganic sources on parameters of phosphorus homeostasis in healthy adult dogs

Feeding dogs with inorganic phosphates disrupts calcium and phosphorus metabolism, potentially harming renal, cardiovascular, and skeletal health, making it unsuitable for food use.

Public health impact of dietary phosphorus excess on bone and cardiovascular health in the general population.

High dietary phosphorus intake may disrupt hormonal regulation, leading to mineral metabolism issues, impaired kidney function, and bone loss.

Dietary Phosphorus Intake and the Kidney.

High phosphorus intake may negatively impact kidney health, potentially leading to calcification and albuminuria.

Microbial Phosphorus Solubilization and Its Potential for Use in Sustainable Agriculture

Phosphate Solubilizing Microorganisms (PSM) show potential as sustainable bio fertilizers, improving crop growth and yield without causing environmental hazards.

Phosphorus toxicity disrupts Rubisco activation and reactive oxygen species defence systems by phytic acid accumulation in leaves.

Excessive phosphorus application in rice leads to decreased Rubisco activation, inhibited photosynthesis, and reduced metal availability within cells, mediated by phytic acid accumulation.

Phosphorus toxicity in tomato plants: when and how does it occur?

Phosphorus toxicity in tomato plants occurs when the phosphorus level in leaves exceeds 1.00% of its dry matter, mainly affecting container-grown and hydroponically grown plants.

Efficacy of intravenous phosphorus therapy in the severely hypophosphatemic patient.

Intravenous phosphorus therapy, containing 9 mmole of KH2PO4 every 12 hours, is safe and effective for treating severe hypophosphatemia in adult patients with normal renal function and without hyperkalemia or hypercalcemia.

An acid-persulfate digestion procedure for determination of phosphorus in sediments

Acid-persulfate digestion is a safe, convenient method for determining phosphorus in soil and sediment samples, with potential for accurate prediction of total phosphorus in stormflow sediments using perchloric acid digestion.

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