Phosphorus deficiency is the condition when your body shows reduced concentration of phosphate levels in the blood serum; scientifically the disorder is also known as hypophosphatemia. The acute after effects of phosphorus deficiency are bone diseases such as osteomalacia in adults and rickets in children.
An improper balance of phosphorus and calcium together can also cause osteoporosis. Phosphorus is an important mineral that is essential for normal metabolism of the body and its prolonged deficiency can also paralyze the body functions. Below given are some must to know facts about this deficiency –
Phosphorus Deficiency Symptoms:
Phosphorus is an abundantly requisite mineral that works closely with calcium in the human body to build healthy bones and teeth. We can classify the symptoms indicating phosphorus deficiency in the following ways:
Feeble Bones and Teeth
Usually, calcium is considered as the vital mineral that helps in growth and development of bones and teeth but this is not entirely true though. If your daily diet fails to include phosphorus, then the amount of calcium consumed becomes futile and will lead to breaking of bones and you will feel weary all the time. Calcium requires combination of phosphorus together to develop healthy bones and teeth of the body.
Stiffness, Swelling and Joint Pain
The bones of your body connect with the joints. Therefore, if the bones are weak then the joints become affected and you will face severe joint pains. Further, deficit of phosphorus content in your diet will give rise to constant stiffness. If you feel rigidity in your bones and joints with regular pains, then immediate steps to overcome the symptoms is necessary as its negligence can draw further complications.
Steady Fatigue
The protein, fat and carbohydrates in the body metabolizes as energy with the help of phosphorus gained from your everyday food. Energy is required for day-to-day activity of the body and deficiency of this mineral in the diet leads to non-formation of energy resulting in exhaustion.
Loss of Appetite
Variable factors lead to a weak appetite. One such major factor arises due to shortage of phosphorus content in your body. Prolonged phosphorus deficiency in your body will make you feel nauseated all the time, food rich in phosphorus is thus essential.
What Foods are Rich in Phosphorus?
To deal with phosphorus deficiency, the wisest choice is to alter your diet. Take a diet rich in meat, poultry, dairy and eggs. Apart from these, pumpkin and squash seeds, scallops, sardines, shrimp, cod, salmon fish, shellfish, nuts, soya foods, beans, chocolates, whole grain foods, and lentils are also high in phosphorus. Green leafy vegetables like broccoli, asparagus and spinach are also rich in this mineral.
By consuming these foods, you shall stay away from a host of diseases and ensure good cell functioning, bone health, energy levels and acid-base balance in the body. Nowadays, you also get supplements to make up for adequate phosphorus levels in your body, these supplements usually have essential minerals like calcium, iron, and zinc as well apart from potassium and phosphorus.
