Nalakrats recently provided a mineral ratio for bone health [1]. It included "500mg of Phosphorus". I have always assumed that most get plenty of phosphorus from their diets.
Wikipedia [2]: "The main food sources for phosphorus are the same as those containing protein, although proteins do not contain phosphorus. For example, milk, meat, and soya typically also have phosphorus. As a rule, if a diet has sufficient protein and calcium, the amount of phosphorus is probably sufficient."
As with excess calcium intake, phosphorus can suppress the conversion of vitamin D to its active hormonal form (i.e. calcidiol to calcitriol). For this reason, I have long warned about phosphates in soft drinks & deli meats, as well as the phosphorus in a 16 ounce T-bone steak (3-4 oz is OK).
A 2015 paper from Giovannucci [3] says it all.
"High calcium intake has been associated with an increased risk of advanced-stage and high-grade prostate cancer. Several studies have found a positive association between phosphorus intake and prostate cancer risk."
"We investigated the joint association between calcium and phosphorus and risk of prostate cancer in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, with a focus on lethal and high-grade disease."
"Phosphorus intake was associated with greater risk of total, lethal, and high-grade cancers, independent of calcium and intakes of red meat, white meat, dairy, and fish."
"Phosphorus is {a} mineral found in dairy foods, although it is more widely distributed in the diet than is calcium. Fewer studies have examined phosphorus intake and prostate cancer risk. We previously reported that higher phosphorus intake was associated with an increased risk of high-grade disease in the HPFS, independent of calcium intake [4]. Three other cohort studies have looked at phosphorus and prostate cancer; 2 found an increased risk with higher intakes, whereas another found a suggestion of a positive association. Whether the association for phosphorus is independent of calcium intake has not been fully investigated."
"Men consuming higher levels of total phosphorus were ... more likely to be Caucasian, were less likely to smoke, engaged in more vigorous physical activity, and reported more intensive PSA testing than did men consuming lower levels. Higher intakes were associated with somewhat greater supplement use, although to a lesser extent than was calcium. Men consuming the most phosphorus also consumed higher levels of calcium, supplemental vitamin E, and animal protein and lower intakes of alcohol and coffee. Men with the highest intakes of phosphorus were also more likely to be diabetic."
"Higher quintiles of phosphorus intake were associated with greater risk of prostate cancer (adjusted RR for quintile 5 compared with quintile 1: 1.12 ...)."
"In particular, higher intakes were associated with greater risk of lethal {+28%}, advanced-stage {+31%}, high-grade {+56%}, and grade 7 cancers {+17%}."
"Phosphorus intake was not associated with the risk of localized or low-grade cancer."
In 1998, Giovannucci was author of a paper [5]: "Calcium and Fructose Intake in Relation to Risk of Prostate Cancer"
"Ingestion of fructose reduces plasma phosphate tran
siently, and hypophosphatemia stimulates 1,25(OH)2D production."
"Fruit intake was inversely associated with risk of advanced prostate cancer (RR, 0.63 ... for > 5 versus < or = 1 serving per day), and this association was accounted for by fructose intake. Non-fruit sources of fructose similarly predicted lower risk of advanced prostate cancer."
i.e. the micronutrients in fruit were not responsible, since fructose itself had the same effect. For at least ten years, I have sweetened my morning coffee with fructose.
Kapur (2000) [6]:
"Low dietary intake of phosphorus leads to an increase in serum concentration of 1,25-(OH)2-D. In addition, dietary fructose reduces plasma phosphate levels by 30 to 50% for more than 3 hr due to a rapid shift of phosphate from extracellular to intracellular compartment."
IMO, not only is there no need to supplement with phosphorus, but there is benefit (with PCa) in having depressed blood levels for part of the day, in order that PCa cells might be exposed to calcitriol.
-Patrick
[1] "1000mg of Calcium, 500mg of magnesium, 500mg of Phosphorus, 99mg of Potassium, 50mg of Zinc, and 3 mg of Boron."
[2] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosp...
[3] ajcn.nutrition.org/content/...
[4] cebp.aacrjournals.org/conte...
