Scientific Research
PHOSPHATE
By
Jeff Stout, Ph.D., FACSM,
CSCS
One product that lacks the real world reputation but hits home in the research department is phosphate, easily the most overlooked supplement available today. The first time you heard of phosphate, if you’ve even heard of it at all, you probably thought it was some kind of knock-off product riding on the coat tails of the supplement industry’s popularity. In fact, phosphate holds the capacity to significantly enhance your endurance, increase oxygen supply to your muscles, and enhance your metabolism.
The use of phosphates is not new. Phosphate salt supplements such as sodium and potassium phosphate were reported to relieve fatigue in German soldiers during World War I. Other research in Germany during the 1930’s suggested that phosphate salts improve physical performance. In agreement, contemporary, well-designed studies also suggest that phosphate salts may enhance exercise performance. The mechanism by which phosphate works is based on its ability to buffer lactic acid, improve the body’s ability to deliver oxygen to the muscles, and enhance the cardiovascular system’s ability to deliver more nutrients to the muscle (also important for muscle growth).
Phosphate Basics
Phosphate, or Phosphorous, is a non-metallic element and following calcium, is the most abundant mineral in the body. Accordingly, phosphates are extremely important in human metabolism. Approximately 80-90% of the phosphorous in the body combines to form calcium phosphate, which is used for the development of bones and teeth. Other phosphate salts, such as sodium phosphate, are involved in acid-base balance. The remainder of the body’s phosphates are found in a variety of organic forms, including the phospholipids, which help form cell membranes and DNA which is part of the genetic material.
Several other organic phosphates are of prime importance to those interested in a healthy and fit lifestyle. For example: organic phosphates are essential to normal function of most of the B vitamins involved in the energy processes within the cell. They are also part of the high-energy compounds found in the muscle cell, such as ATP and phosphocreatine, which are needed for muscle contraction. Glucose also needs to be phosphorylated in order to proceed through glycolysis, which is a metabolic pathway that produces ATP. Finally, organic phosphates are also part of a compound in red blood cells known as 2,3 DPG (2,3-diphosphoglycerate), which facilitates the release of oxygen to the muscle tissues.
One of the first studies reported on phosphate was conducted by Dr. Robert Cade and his associates at the University of Florida. In a double blind, placebo-controlled crossover study, highly trained runners took one gram of phosphate four times daily for six days. The phosphate salts increased the concentration of 2,3-DPG in red blood cells , which resulted in an increase in VO2 max (a measure of maximal oxygen consumption and thus, aerobic fitness). Remember, the 2,3-DPG facilitates the release of oxygen to muscles, increasing their ability to perform powerful contractions and sustain them. Dr. Cade also demonstrated that the amount of lactate produced during a standard exercise workload was lower, and a reduced sensation of physiological stress was noted during exercise.
In a more recent study, Dr. Richard Kreier (University of Memphis), using highly trained cross-country runners as subjects, found that one gram of phosphate four times daily for six days resulted in significant increases in VO2 max (approximately 10 percent). This gain was very similar to the improvement noted in Dr. Cade’s study.
Metabolic Booster During Dieting
Two studies, have also shown that phosphate supplementation during low calorie diets enhances metabolic rate by stimulating the release of "active" thyroid hormone. This resulted in a substantial amount of weight loss during the twelve-week dieting period in the subjects taking phosphates. As you know, getting down to a low body fat percentage is not easy. As you go on a hypercaloric diet, the body’s metabolic rate decreases as a safety mechanism, making the elimination of the last bit of fat almost impossible. The body thinks you are starving it, so it holds onto fat at the expense of muscle. Phosphates, by multiplying the body’s metabolic rate, can prevent this catastrophe.
Recommendations
I would recommend a sodium and potassium phosphate developed by an Omaha, Nebraska company called Fortress Systems International L.L.C. (FSI Nutrition). A pharmacist and pharmacologist, experts who specialize in maximum drug delivery, designed their product to deliver 500mg of phosphate one per gram serving. They also designed it specifically to guarantee maximum absorption.
So there you have it – the mechanism, the research, the results. You may not care for the mechanism, and research may bore you to tears, but you cannot argue with results. So give phosphates a shot and let other readers know what you think. Oh, and for everyone else at the gym, well, they can just be left to wonder.
References:
1. Kreider RB Phosphate Loading and Exercise Performance. J Applied Nutrition 44:29-49, 1992
