title: Potential health concerns of dietary phosphorus: cancer, obesity, and hypertension.
abstract: Adult Americans typically consume on average 1400 mg, or more, of phosphorus (P) daily in meals, which almost doubles the recommended dietary allowance. After a meal phosphorus is rapidly absorbed at a high efficiency and hormonal mechanisms act swiftly to maintain the serum inorganic phosphate (Pi) concentration within fairly narrow limits. Both parathyroid hormone (PTH) and fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) reduce serum phosphate during postprandial periods through homeostatic actions on the kidney. However, it is speculated that exposure of cells to a brief high-serum Pi concentration may signal alterations in cell functions that lead to deleterious effects. Elevation of serum FGF-23 or PTH may also be harmful to specific cell types. Examples of possible adverse health effects include cancer, obesity, and hypertension. Here I review potential mechanisms through which high-P intake may contribute to cell metabolic abnormalities and the development of chronic disease; high-dietary phosphorus, especially from foods processed with phosphate salts, may be associated with these chronic diseases. Further investigation is needed to establish the significance of high-phosphate diets within a large segment of the U.S. population with normal renal function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
authors.forename: John J B
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000089703:Fibroblast Growth Factor-23; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D005502:Food; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D010710:Phosphates / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D016226:Phosphorus, Dietary / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: C000717427:FGF23 protein, human; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D010710:Phosphates; D016226:Phosphorus, Dietary; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D000089703:Fibroblast Growth Factor-23
keywords: chronic diseases; high-P diets; hormones; metabolic abnormalities