A new study conducted at the University of Basel found that increased amounts of phosphate—usually found in processed food products as an additive—raises blood pressure and pulse rate in healthy adults.
It has been observed that higher consumption of phosphate can lead to deposits in blood vessels and thus it has been contraindicated for people with chronic kidney problems. However, epidemiological studies that examine the link between certain diseases and potential risk factors has shown that it also augments the possibility of developing or even dying from arteriosclerosis or a cardiovascular disease in healthy people.
The new study verified this statistical connection for the first time in a qualitative study. The study, published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, included 20 healthy young adults. Half of them received an additional dose of sodium phosphate in a tablet in addition to their normal diet over 11 weeks; increasing the phosphate found in their blood to an above-average level, but common among the US population. The other half were given a phosphate binder (which inhibits the substance in the body), as well as sodium chloride to equal the first group’s sodium intake.
The results after six weeks showed that the group that received the dose of sodium phosphate had significantly increased the systolic and diastolic blood pressure —by 4.1 and 3.2 mmHg, respectively— and their pulse rate increased by an average of four beats per minute. The researchers found that increased serum phosphate level activates the sympathetic nervous system, which accelerates cardiac activity and increases blood pressure. The study also demonstrated the effect to be reversible, as the participants’ levels were measured two months after the end of the study and they had returned to normal.
As vitamin D stimulates intestinal phosphate absorption (decreasing phosphate load) and has cardio protective effects, it is increasingly prescribed by doctors. For this reason, in a second phase of the study, the researchers examined the effect of an additional supplement of vitamin D. The results showed, however, no measurable influence on the cardiovascular values in either group.
“Our results provide an important explanation for the association of dietary phosphate intake with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in the general population,” says study leader Reto Krapf. “These conclusions are important for public health and should be further examined in larger studies in various population groups.”
Source: Science Daily
