Phosphorus Intake and Kidney Disease

Did You Know? More than 20 million Americans have chronic kidney disease  

Restricting phosphorus may improve Chronic Kidney Disease!

Phosphorus is a crucial mineral that helps your body function at its best, however too much of it can be harmful. Recent studies show reducing phosphorus intake in earlier stages of chronic kidney disease may help preserve kidney function and keep bones and heart healthy.

This resource is intended to help educate patients on what is phosphorus, why limiting phosphorus is important and how can you control your phosphorus level.  

01 | What is phosphorus

Phosphorus is a mineral that helps keep your bones healthy. It is absorbed in the small intestine and stored in the bones. Healthy kidneys can filter excess phosphorus and other waste from your body. The more waste in your body, the harder your kidneys must work to remove it. When you have early stage kidney disease, your kidneys work harder to remove phosphorus.

02 | Why is limiting phosphorus important

When you have Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), phosphorus can build up in your blood, making your bones thin, weak, and more likely to break. Normal working kidneys can remove extra phosphorus in your blood. When you have CKD your kidneys cannot remove phosphorus very well.

03 | Controlling your phosphorus level

One of the ways to slow the progression of early stage kidney disease is by becoming aware of your current diet and setting goals to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It’s also important to know what foods are lower in phosphorus. The following are a few ways you can control your phosphorus intake:   

• Eat smaller portions of foods high in protein at meals and for snacks.
  • Meat, poultry, and fish: A cooked portion should be about 2 to 3 ounces.
  • Dairy foods: Keep your portions to 1/2 cup of milk or yogurt, or one slice of cheese.
  • Beans and lentils: Portions should be about 1/2 cup of cooked beans or lentils.
  • Nuts: Keep your portions to about 1/4 cup of nuts.
• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables--if you have not been told to watch your potassium.
• Many packaged foods have added phosphorus. Look for phosphorus, or for words with PHOS, on ingredient labels. Choose a different food when the ingredient list has PHOS on the label.

Early stage kidney disease can be managed by working with your doctor and renal dietitian by making alterations to your diet. For additional resources on phosphorus and chronic kidney disease, please visit: https://www.kidney.org.

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References

https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/phosphorus

http://www.kidneyfund.org/kidney-disease/kidney-friendly-diet-ckd/