Phosphorus is an element that plays an important role in the body. In the body, almost all phosphorus is combined with oxygen, forming phosphate. Phosphate is one of the body's electrolytes Overview of Electrolytes Well over half of the body's weight is made up of water. Doctors think about the body's water as being restricted to various spaces, called fluid compartments. The three main compartments are... read more , which are minerals Overview of Minerals Minerals are necessary for the normal functioning of the body’s cells. The body needs relatively large quantities of Calcium Chloride Magnesium Phosphate read more that carry an electric charge when dissolved in body fluids such as blood, but the majority of phosphate in the body is uncharged. (See also Overview of Electrolytes Overview of Electrolytes Well over half of the body's weight is made up of water. Doctors think about the body's water as being restricted to various spaces, called fluid compartments. The three main compartments are... read more .)
Bone contains about 85% of the body’s phosphate. The rest is located primarily inside cells, where it is involved in energy production.
Phosphate is necessary for the formation of bone and teeth. Phosphate is also used as a building block for several important substances, including those used by the cell for energy, cell membranes, and DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid).
The body obtains phosphate from foods and excretes it in urine and sometimes stool. How much phosphate is in stool varies, depending on how much is not absorbed from food. Foods that are high in phosphate include milk, egg yolks, chocolate, and soft drinks.
The level of phosphate in the blood may be
