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What Is Hypophosphatemia?
Hypophosphatemia means the level of phosphates in the bloodstream is too low to meet metabolic needs of the body for this mineral.
Q: How important is phosphorus in metabolism?
A: Phosphorus is crucial to life, being present in every cell of the body and constitutes 45% of skeletal bone weight along with 40% calcium needed to support the body as a framework.
A low blood phosphate level is characterized by alterations in blood acid-alkaline balance and serious neuromuscular, hematologic, renal, skeletal, and dental abnormalities.
Symptoms result primarily from decreased production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the main energy source in cells, and phosphocreatine, a secondary energy source for muscle contraction.
- Acute phosphorus deficiency may precipitate rhabdomyolysis which is destruction of muscle.
- Nervous system dysfunction is observed in severe hypophosphatemia.
- Chronic phosphorus deficiency causes proximal myopathy (upper arms and thighs).1
- Severe phosphorus deficiency has widespread and ultimately fatal consequences.
What Is Hypophosphatemia In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?
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- Takeda E, Ikeda S, Nakahashi O. Lack of phosphorus intake and nutrition. Clin Calcium. 2012 Oct;22(10):1487-91. [↩]