Phosphorus Deficiency
Recommended Daily Allowance of Phosphorus
The recommended daily allowance was established by the food and nutrition board, and is used for the general term of reference for a healthy diet. These guidelines include the average daily intake sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97%-98%) healthy individuals. The adequate intake established when evidence is insufficient to develop and recommended daily allowance, but is still set to allow for a person to get nutritional adequacy.
The recommended daily allowance of phosphorus, according to the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) at the Institute of Medicine of National Academies is the following: infants age zero to six months male one hundred mg per / day, infants age zero to six months female one hundred mg per / day, infants age seven months to twelve months male two hundred seventy-five mg per / day, infants age seven months to twelve months female two hundred and seventy five mg per / day, children age one year to three years male four hundred and sixty mg per / day, children age one year to three years female four hundred and sixty mg per / day, children age four years to eight years male five hundred mg per / day, children age four years to eight years female five hundred mg per / day, children age nine years to thirteen years male one thousand two hundred and fifty mg per / day, children age nine years to thirteen years female one thousand two hundred and fifty mg per / day, adolescents age fourteen years to eighteen years male one thousand two hundred and fifty mg per / day, adolescents age fourteen years to eighteen years female one thousand two hundred and fifty mg per / day, adults age nineteen years and older male seven hundred mg per / day, adults age nineteen years and older female seven hundred mg per / day, females age fourteen years to eighteen years pregnant one thousand two hundred and fifty mg per / day, females age nineteen and older pregnant seven hundred mg per / day, females age fourteen years to eighteen years lactating one thousand two hundred and fifty mg per / day, females age nineteen and older lactating seven hundred mg per / day.
Phosphorus Deficiency
Phosphorus is a very important mineral for the body. It is required by the body to function throughout the day. A deficiency in phosphorus can cause big problems for the bones in your body. They can become soft and weak and be prone to breaking.
There are a number of symptoms of a phosphorus deficiency. They include a loss of appetite, fatigue, bone and joint pain, weak bones, a tingling in finger and toes, weight change, numbness, trouble breathing, irritability, and weakness. A severe deficiency could lead to death. However, phosphorus is found in a wide variety of foods that a deficiency is usually only found with starvation and even alcoholics. Alcohol can take many minerals from the body causing the person to be malnourished. One mineral in particular it takes in particular is phosphorus and causes the amount of red blood cells to drop.
The recommended daily allowance of phosphorus for children both male and female between the ages of nine years and eighteen years is one thousand two hundred fifty mg per / day. The recommended daily allowance of phosphorus for adults both male and female ages nineteen year and older drops to seven hundred mg per / day. Children need more phosphorus because phosphorus works with calcium to build strong bones and teeth. If children do not have enough phosphorus, they can get rickets. Rickets is when the bones in children become soft and weak because of a deficiency in vitamin D. Since phosphorus, just like vitamin D, helps with the growth of bones, not getting enough phosphorus can cause rickets in children. Symptoms of rickets include skeletal deformities, bones more likely to break, a delay in the growth of the bone, oral health problems, pain in the bones, and weakness of the muscles. Adults who do not get enough phosphorus in their diet can get osteomalacia. Osteomalacia is the softening of a person’s bones. Osteomalacia happens when there is a defect with process of bone growth. Some symptoms of osteomalacia are achy bones and weak muscles. The best way to treat osteomalacia is to replenish vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus.
Women who become pregnant and are under the age of eighteen should also get one thousand two hundred fifty mg of phosphorus per / day. This is very important for the mother and baby, especially the mother. With young mothers like this, her bones are still growing and developing. If she does not get the recommended daily allowance her bones and the baby’s bones may not grow properly and become strong.
People who are at risk for having a low level of phosphorus are those who are trying to lose weight by eating one thousand calories or less a day. This is not safe because a person will not get the proper amount of phosphorus that can be received by eating a healthy, balanced diet. Women who are pregnant and nursing are also at risk for low levels of phosphorus. Alcoholics are also at risk for lower phosphorus levels because the alcohol can deplete the phosphorus from the system.
Phosphorus Toxicity
Getting too much phosphorus in your diet can be toxic. Symptoms of phosphorus toxicity include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and spasms. Also getting a lot of phosphorus can be just as detrimental to bone health as not getting enough. Phosphorus is abundant in foods. Eating a healthy, balanced diet void of junk foods can also lower the chances of phosphorus toxicity. Most of the processed foods we eat can add about thirty percent of the total phosphorus we need. Phosphorus toxicity is also unlikely because the kidneys control the phosphorus levels in our blood. The kidneys are very proficient in getting rid of the extra phosphorus in our bodies.
Having too much phosphorus in the body is more common than not having enough. Getting too much phosphorus happens when a person will not get enough calcium. There is a balanced needed between calcium and phosphorus. When the amount of phosphorus in the body goes up, the amount of calcium in the body decreases.
Getting Enough Phosphorus in a Diet
The best way to get phosphorus is to eat a variety of phosphorus containing foods. Eating a diet that is rich in protein and whole grains such as beef, fish, eggs, milk, and nuts will make certain you get proper amounts of phosphorus. Individuals who eat a healthy, balanced diet rarely need a phosphate supplement. However, taking whey protein isolate will help a person to fill in where the diet falls short.
Most people live fast paced lives and have little time to make healthy meals. This causes people to neglect the proper amounts of nutrients that are recommended the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) at the Institute of Medicine of National Academies. Taking a good whey isolate protein can help the body get these recommended amounts. Eating foods that are quick and processed can cut out many of these important nutrients.
Phosphorus helps grow, maintain, and repair muscle after a hard workout at the gym. Taking a good whey isolate protein will help your body to improve its recovery. The lean muscle that is created by strength training will burn more calories while you are resting. Taking whey protein isolate will help you to build lean muscle. Whey protein comes from dairy sources. It is ninety percent pure protein and contains fewer carbohydrates and fats than other types of protein.
It is recommended by some specialist to consume their body weight in protein. However, there are not any studies to backup these recommendations. It is always important to talk with your health care provider. Following their recommendations is always safe because taking too much protein can be unhealthy for the body.
