:Phosphorus:

:Phosphorus stores cellular energy in Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). Phosphorus is part of teeth and bones.

Healthy kidneys help control the amount of phosphorus in the blood. When the kidneys are not working properly, they cannot remove enough phosphorus from the blood. When the calcium and phosphorus are not balanced between a ratio of 3.5 to 5.5, bone disease can develop.

High phosphorus causes blood calcium to drop. When phosphorus is high, a hormone tells bones to release calcium and bind phosphorus. Bones become brittle due to the loss of the calcium.

High phosphorus can cause:

• Itching (arms, legs, back, chest)
• Red eyes
• Continuous bone pain: especially hips, knees, ankles and heels
• Bones break easily
• Blood vessels clog with calcium that should be in the bones.
• This can cause sores that won’t heal, strokes, and heart attacks.

Sometimes the doctor will prescribe a medication called a phosphate binder (Tums, Phoslo, etc.). This medication prevents phosphorus absorption from foods by binding it with calcium. The binder is taken within a half hour before or after eating.

Preventing bone disease:

1. Restrict dietary phosphorus
2. Supplement calcium with each meal to bind food phosphorus