Phosphorus is a mineral that is vital for good health, since it is needed by every cell in your body for normal function. It is a major component of your bones.
When your kidneys are not working as they should, they often cannot remove excess phosphorus from your bloodstream, and so phosphorus can build to unhealthy levels.
Excess phosphorus can cause calcium to leach from your bones so that over time, they may weaken and break. And, if you have high levels of both phosphorus and calcium, damaging calcium deposits can form in soft tissues, including your heart, lungs, eyes and blood vessels. That’s why if you are diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), you’ll need to monitor and control the levels of both phosphorus and calcium in your body.
Generally, the recommended daily amount of phosphorus for adults is between 800 mg and 1,200 mg. Since most processed foods contain additives rich in phosphorus, in the last 20 years, Americans’ consumption of this mineral has risen by 10 to 15 percent. We are all getting more than enough phosphorus. Only a minority of people suffer from low phosphorus in there blood.
If you are on dialysis, your health care provider will do monthly laboratory tests to check your blood phosphorus level. For non-dialysis patients normal phosphorus is 2.7-4.6 mg/dL. For dialysis patients, a healthy range is 3.0 to 5.5 mg/dL. Levels greater than 5.5 are associated with increased calcifications and renal-related bone disease.
The role of dialysis in phosphorous control
Dialysis will remove some phosphorus from your bloodstream, but it is important to realize that you must also keep your phosphorus levels in check between dialysis treatments. One important step in managing phosphorus is to eat a diet that helps limit your intake of the mineral. Your renal dietitian can provide a list of what foods to include in your food plan and what foods should be limited or avoided altogether.
When your goal is to limit your phosphorus intake, you cannot rely on reading food nutrition labels alone to alert you to foods that contain it, since food labels are not required by law to list the mineral. If you check the ingredients and see variations of the word phosphorus – including pyrophosphate, polyphosphates, phosphoric acid, calcium phosphate and sodium aluminum phosphate – then you will know the food is high in phosphorus and should be avoided. Foods that have ‘high in calcium’ on the label are often high in phosphorus, too.
In many cases, people with kidney disease will be prescribed phosphate binders to assist in controlling phosphorus in the body. A phosphate (or phosphorus) binder works to absorb (bind) phosphorus in your stomach and gastrointestinal track, rather than allowing it to pass into your blood. The mineral is then eliminated in the stool.
If your health care provider prescribes phosphate binders, you will also be instructed on how and when to take them. Typically, they are taken right before or after eating meals or phosphorus-containing snacks because binders work during digestion.
Foods high in phosphorous
Most of the phosphorus in a low phosphorus diet will come from important protein foods such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs and small amounts of dairy products. These foods provide the high quality protein your body needs.
To avoid consuming too much phosphorus, your dietitian may recommend that you avoid or limit these high phosphorus foods and beverages:
- Milk, drinks made with milk, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese, pudding and ice cream
- Beef liver, chicken liver and other organ meats
- Processed meats with phosphate additives
- Sardines, canned salmon or other fish canned with bones
- Dried beans and peas, such as lentils, split peas, lima beans, baked beans, kidney beans, black beans, chick peas, black-eyed peas and garbanzo beans
- Whole grain products, such as whole wheat bread and bran cereals
- Nuts and seeds
- Pizza
- Colas
- Cocoa and other chocolate drinks
- Ale and beer
- Bottled or canned iced tea, lemonade or other drinks with phosphate additives
You can avoid high phosphorus foods and still enjoy a satisfying meal plan. The chart below provides some tips for making smart, low phosphorus choices that are compatible with
ENJOY these foods | INSTEAD OF these foods |
Fresh or fresh frozen meat, fish and poultry without phosphate additives | Processed meats, canned fish with bones and poultry |
White rice, pasta, grits or couscous seasoned with margarine and herbs | Brown or wild rice |
Green or wax beans | Dried beans or peas |
Non-dairy creamers, soy milk, rice milk without phosphate additives | Milk or milk substitutes with phosphate additives |
Cereals made from rice, corn, or refined wheat | Cereals made from oats, bran or whole wheat |
French, Italian or white bread | Whole grain breads |
Butter, margarine, honey, jam, jelly or cream cheese | Peanut butter |
Cream cheese, sour cream | Cheese and processed cheese products |
Cream soda, lemon-lime soda, grape soda, homemade lemonade, homemade iced tea or root beer | Cola drinks, bottled or canned drinks with phosphate additives |
Sorbet, sherbet, gelatin, nondairy frozen desserts | Ice cream |
Jelly beans, fondant, gum drops, hard candy, unsalted popcorn or unsalted pretzels | Chocolate candy or nuts |
Cookies or cake made without chocolate or nuts, such as sugar cookies, shortbread cookies, vanilla wafers or vanilla, lemon or angel food cake | Chocolate cookies or cake |
