Impact of phosphorus-based food additives on bone and mineral metabolism

OM Gutiérrez, A Luzuriaga-McPherson… - The Journal of …, 2015 - academic.oup.com
OM Gutiérrez, A Luzuriaga-McPherson, Y Lin, LC Gilbert, SW Ha, GR Beck Jr
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2015academic.oup.com
Context: Phosphorus-based food additives can substantially increase total phosphorus
intake per day, but the effect of these additives on endocrine factors regulating bone and
mineral metabolism is unclear. Objective: This study aimed to examine the effect of
phosphorus additives on markers of bone and mineral metabolism. Design and Setting, and
Participants: This was a feeding study of 10 healthy individuals fed a diet providing∼ 1000
mg of phosphorus/d using foods known to be free of phosphorus additives for 1 week (low …
Context
Phosphorus-based food additives can substantially increase total phosphorus intake per day, but the effect of these additives on endocrine factors regulating bone and mineral metabolism is unclear.
Objective
This study aimed to examine the effect of phosphorus additives on markers of bone and mineral metabolism.
Design and Setting, and Participants
This was a feeding study of 10 healthy individuals fed a diet providing ∼1000 mg of phosphorus/d using foods known to be free of phosphorus additives for 1 week (low-additive diet), immediately followed by a diet containing identical food items; however, the foods contained phosphorus additives (additive-enhanced diet). Parallel studies were conducted in animals fed low- (0.2%) and high- (1.8%) phosphorus diets for 5 or 15 weeks.
Main Outcome Measures
The changes in markers of mineral metabolism after each diet period were measured.
Results
Participants were 32 ± 8 years old, 30% male, and 70% black. The measured phosphorus content of the additive-enhanced diet was 606 ± 125 mg higher than the low-additive diet (P < .001). After 1 week of the low-additive diet, consuming the additive-enhanced diet for 1 week significantly increased circulating fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), osteopontin, and osteocalcin concentrations by 23, 10, and 11%, respectively, and decreased mean sclerostin concentrations (P < .05 for all). Similarly, high-phosphorus diets in mice significantly increased blood FGF23, osteopontin and osteocalcin, lowered sclerostin, and decreased bone mineral density (P < .05 for all).
Conclusions
The enhanced phosphorus content of processed foods can disturb bone and mineral metabolism in humans. The results of the animal studies suggest that this may compromise bone health.
Oxford University Press