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Dietary phosphorus, calcium metabolism and bone
1Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration, Washington, DC 20204.
The Journal of Nutrition
|September 1, 1993
Summary
High phosphorus and low calcium diets in American women can lead to hormonal changes that negatively impact bone health. This dietary pattern may impair the body's ability to regulate calcium, affecting bone mass and loss.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Science
- Endocrinology
- Bone Metabolism
Background:
- Many American women consume diets high in phosphorus and low in calcium.
- This dietary pattern is concerning due to animal studies linking it to secondary hyperparathyroidism and bone loss.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of high phosphorus and low calcium intake on calcium-regulating hormones in young adults.
- To determine if prolonged high phosphorus intake impairs homeostatic mechanisms for calcium regulation.
Main Methods:
- Observational study analyzing dietary patterns of American women.
- Analysis of hormonal changes, including parathyroid hormone and active vitamin D, in response to dietary intake.
- Comparison with existing animal and human studies on phosphorus and calcium metabolism.
Main Results:
- High phosphorus, moderately low calcium intake in young adults caused mild secondary hyperparathyroidism over 4 weeks.
- Plasma concentrations of active vitamin D did not change despite hormonal shifts.
- Prolonged high phosphorus intake may disrupt normal calcium homeostatic mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- Current dietary patterns of high phosphorus and low calcium consumption lead to persistent hormonal changes.
- These hormonal alterations are detrimental to optimizing peak bone mass and slowing bone loss.
- Dietary phosphorus significantly influences calcium regulation and vitamin D metabolism.