The health benefits of phosphorus include healthy bone formation, improved digestion, regulated excretion, protein formation, hormonal balance, improved energy extraction, cellular repair, optimized chemical reactions, and proper nutrient utilization. The health benefits of phosphorous make it an important constituent of any diet.
Phosphorus is an important constituent of human bones, meaning that it would be impossible to one function normally without an adequate amount of this mineral in the body. In fact, phosphorus is regularly noted as the second most profuse mineral in the human body, and is the second most important element when it comes to maintaining bone health and integrity, behind calcium.
Apart from providing strength to bones and teeth, other health benefits of phosphorus are essential for performing essential activities for different body parts like the brain, kidney, heart and blood. Therefore, it is a very bad choice for your health to exclude phosphorus from the list of nutrients that make it onto your plate.
Deficiency Symptoms of Phosphorus
The most significant deficiency symptoms of phosphorus include weak bones and discomfort in various body joints. Phosphorus acts in a similar way as calcium does in providing strength to bones, so a deficiency of phosphorus may lead to weakness, tooth decay, rickets and other related bone problems. People may also experience a loss of appetite and diminished body stamina to perform routine activities. Along with all of these foul symptoms, a deficiency of phosphorus may also invite numbness, anxiety, tremors, weight loss and stunted growth. It is an essential part of our diet, particularly as children, when the most growth and development occurs, and needs to happen regularly and with a full backing of the proper nutrients.
Important Sources of Phosphorus
The most important sources of phosphorus include food items like meat, nuts, legumes and dairy products. Also, one may include sunflower seeds, rice, white bread, potatoes, broccoli and peas on the list of phosphorus-rich food items. Other sources of phosphorus include peanut butter, tuna, pork and soda beverages. In order to balance the diet with phosphorus content, it is recommended to speak with medical professionals or nutritionists who can better explain your dietary needs.
Health Benefits of Phosphorus
The health benefits of phosphorus are not restricted to one category, as it has a number of critical functions for other body parts as well:
Bone Formation: Phosphorus is a vital part of the growth process, as well as the maintenance of bones and teeth. It works in association with calcium to create strong bones, which can withstand the normal wear and tear of human life. It also helps in boosting the health of your gums and tooth enamel. It also helps in relieving serious problems like bone loss or the loss of mineral density, also known as osteoporosis. This mineral lays the foundation of a strong skeletal structure to ensure health and functional living. One of the recent discoveries of phosphorous also link it to heart health, meaning that with a proper intake, you can better protect yourself from a range of cardiovascular diseases.
Digestion: Phosphorus plays an important role in facilitating effective digestion in the human body. It does this by stimulating the digestion of riboflavin and niacin in an efficient way. These two vitamins are also essential for human health, so any way that their uptake can be maximized is a good thing. These two varieties of vitamin B are responsible for everything from energy metabolism to neurological and emotional response systems. Beyond the uptake of other vitamins and minerals, phosphorous directly clears up indigestion, constipation, diarrhea, and generally tones up the digestive system for regular, healthy bowel movements. This increases the health of the digestive system, as well as that of the kidneys, since the toxins are being eliminated from the body, rather than recycling through the kidneys and stressing that system.
Excretion and Urination: Phosphorus plays an important role in keeping the kidneys healthy. It does this by ensuring the proper release of waste from kidneys through the process of urination and excretion. By increasing the quantity and frequency of urination, the body is able to balance its levels of uric acid, excess salts, water, and even fat, since urine is usually about 4% fat. Phosphorous encourages the healthy balance of all fluids and materials that are eliminated from the body, thereby helping the entire body remain healthy and toxin-free.
Weakness: Phosphorous has the ability to remove minor health problems like muscle weakness, numbness, fatigue and similar ailments. Normal levels of phosphorous in the body are a great way to remain fit and active. A normal amount can be approximately 1200 mg for adults, according to experts and from suggestions of various health practitioners. Sexual weakness can also be cured with healthy supplementation of phosphorous into the body, so issues like loss of libido, frigidity, impotence, and sperm motility can be boosted by having an adequate supply of phosphorus in your system.
Brain Function: Since phosphorous is an essential element found around as well as inside the cells of the brain, it is obviously responsible for important functions. Proper levels of phosphorous guarantee proper brain function and cognitive growth and development. Studies have linked a phosphorus deficiency to an increased risk of cognitive malfunction, and the early onset of neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Protein Formation: Phosphorus is one of the most important element in the creation of proteins, which further help in the process of reproduction. It also facilitates the maximum utilization of proteins in the human body to ensure proper growth of cells, along with their repair when necessary. In the same manner, phosphorus also helps our bodies utilize carbohydrates as well as fats. The metabolism of proteins is what keeps our body growing and maintaining itself as the wear and tear of the years continues. It is one of the most essential parts of human metabolism, so phosphorus’ stimulating effect is vital to our overall health.
Cell Repair: Phosphorus also contributes to the repair process and maintenance of various body cells which suffer from daily wear and tear. It ensures that body cells are developed properly and remain active for impressive overall health. This contribution mainly comes in the form of helping to create protein and stimulating the correct hormones to react accordingly around the body to stimulate metabolic activity.
Hormone Balance: The health benefits of phosphorus may be considered vital for regulating the balance of hormones in the human body. It ensures that hormones, especially those required for good reproductive health, are always present in appropriate, balanced amounts. Phosphorus does this by directly interacting with the endocrine glands of the body and helps to regulate the creation and release of hormones. The hundreds of hormones in our body play extremely important roles in all of our health issues, and phosphorus is an irreplaceable part of that control system.
Energy Extraction: Phosphorus aids in the process of energy extraction by stimulating the process of metabolism of different nutrients. Furthermore, it helps in the flow of energy and its efficient usage by different organ systems, some of which is due to its ability to absorb vitamins so efficiently.
Chemical Reactions: Phosphorus acts as a participant or co-factor in a number of chemical reactions taking place inside the body. Also, it facilitates the proper utilization of various nutrients entering the body. All in all, be sure to always include phosphorus in your diet, you won’t get far without it!