PHOSPHORUS, THE EXCITATORY
​OR FIERY MINERAL 

​Contents

I. Introduction
II. Sources of Phosphorus
III. Functions Of Phosphorus
IV. Phosphorus On A Hair Mineral Analysis
V. Synergists And Antagonists
VI. The Calcium/Phosphorus Ratio

I. INTRODUCTION

Phosphorus is a fascinating mineral, and a very important one in development science.  It is considered a macromineral because our bodies contain a lot of it.  Other macrominerals are calcium, magnesium sodium, potassium and sulfur.

Phosphorus may be called the excitatory, fiery or high-energy mineral because it is required for the human fuel system to produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate).  This high-energy phosphorus compound is your body’s refined fuel, like the gasoline that runs the automobiles.

A fiery mineral.  Phosphorus is very fiery.  It the only non-radioactive element that is not stable when in an atomic or singular form.

Some readers may recall a high school science experiment in which the teacher gently lifted a piece of pure phosphorus out of a jar filled with water.  In a few seconds, it bursts into flame spontaneously.  This is how unstable and fiery phosphorus is.

The most anabolic mineral.  This means it is needed to synthesize or build up new body tissue.

Let us examine phosphorus in more detail.

II. SOURCES OF PHOSPHORUS

​Animal Proteins are Excellent Quality Phosphorus Compounds. While plant bodies are made mainly from carbohydrates such as cellulose, animal bodies are built of proteins.  Thus, animals and particularly human beings require enough and excellent sources of phosphorus.

The best sources include meats, eggs, milk and cheese.  Of these sources, red meats are the highest in these phosphorus compounds. 

Those who do not eat red meat suffer from a deficiency of these compounds as a result.  Pure vegetarians, especially vegans, are in even worse nutritional condition in terms of obtaining enough high-quality phosphorus.  This may be one reason they often do not live as long as meat-eaters.

Eat Animal Protein.  Some people don’t want to bother eating much animal protein.  It may be the cost, or that it requires cooking, or it smells bad, or it sits in the stomach when eaten in a bad food combination. 

However, we find that for optimum health and to obtain enough phosphorus, one must eat 4-5 ounces of red meat two or three times weekly, and one must eat animal protein twice daily.  Do not eat more than this, however, as one can overdo on it.

Just living on mainly starches and sugars such as breads, rice, pasta and fruit is a huge nutritional mistake, in our experience of over 36 years.

Inferior Sources of Phosphorus.  The phosphorus found in foods such as nuts, seeds, and beans are not as good as the phosphorus found in animal proteins. This is a major reason why we do not recommend low protein diets or vegetarian diets.

Harmful Phosphorus Compounds. Not all phosphorus compounds are healthful.  Here are two examples:

Phytates.  Many raw grains are high in phytates.  They bind to other minerals in the intestinal tract and interfere with their absorption.  Cooking, fermenting, and special methods of food preparation, such as adding yeast to bread dough and adding lime to corn, were developed to reduce the high phytate content of grain foods. 

This is an important reason NOT TO EAT RAW GRAINS, EVER.  These include granola, most trail mix, and even just soaked grains, which are popular today.  Cooking or fermenting the grains gets rid of the phytates.  However, cooking is best, in our experience, because ferments have a number of problems that are explained in a separate article, Fermented Foods.  

Also read Raw Foods for more on why raw food diets do not work well today.  An exception is raw dairy products, which are excellent but must be eaten in moderation (up to 4 ounces daily and no more) and are not required foods for development.

Phosphoric Acid.  Soda pop often contains phosphoric acid.  This is used to cut the sweetness of the drink so they can put more sugar in it, and to add a tangy flavor.  It is also a stimulant, along with the sugar and caffeine in many soft drinks.  This is why these drinks are popular among exhausted people, but horrible for your health.

Phosphoric acid is also very acidic and can erode the teeth, damage the stomach and intestines, helps destroy the bones, and should always be avoided.  Avoid all soda pop. 

III. FUNCTIONS OF PHOSPHORUS

1. Bone health.  About 85% of your body’s phosphorus is in the bone structure, where it interacts with calcium to form the hard part of the bones.  This, of course, is a critical body function.  The right kind of phosphorus is needed, and the wrong kinds found in raw grains and soda pop, mainly, will tend to destroy the bones faster or cause them to grow in a deformed way.

2. Energy production.  This is probably its most important role.  ATP or adenosine triphosphate is the high-energy molecule that is used as the “refined fuel” for every purpose in the body.  It is somewhat like refined gasoline in today’s society.

3. Growth and development.  Phosphates are extremely important for growth of the body.  For example, mother’s milk is rather low in phosphorus compared to cows milk.  Cows, of course, grow much faster and larger than human beings.  This is one of the problems with drinking cows milk.  Milk from smaller animals such as goats and sheep tends to be more like human milk in their phosphorus content. 

Most of the phosphorus from dairy products ends up in the bones to create a strong and healthy body.  Pasteurizing the milk damages some of the calcium and phosphorus compounds it contains and causes severe digestive problems for many people, especially those of the Black race and Asians.  They may not even tolerate raw cow’s milk very well due to its high lactose content, but this is far better than pasteurized milk.  Homogenizing the milk also may damage some phosphorus compounds and should never be done.  Raw, unpasteurized, and unhomogenized milk is extremely safe when produced in a healthy way, which is easy to do.

4. The nervous system.  The human nervous system is extremely dependent on phosphorus compounds, especially those found in meats and eggs.  For example, phospholipids are needed to form the myelin sheath on the nerves.  This is like the insulation on wires.  If it is not strong, the brain literally short circuits, like two bare wires touching each other.  This can cause seizures, multiple sclerosis and dozens of other problems.

Also, the brain uses so much energy (at least one-third of all your energy) that high-energy phosphorus compounds are critical for thinking and higher brain development of a human being.  This is one of the reasons vegetarians are prone to fatigue, anxiety and depression much more than meat eaters.  Meat is far higher in bioavailable phosphorus compounds than vegetarian proteins like nuts, seeds and beans.

5. Cell membranes.  Phospholipids are also needed to maintain the integrity of our cell membranes.  This may not seem important, but it is a critical body function.  The cell membranes keep the right nutrients inside the cells and keep the bad ones out of the cells.  Omega-3 fatty acids, along with others, are incorporated into phosphorus compounds to form cell membrane structures needed for the transfer of nutrients into the cells and to move waste products out of the cells.

6. All protein synthesis.  Phosphorus is involved in DNA and RNA metabolism.  RNA, in turn, is needed to make all body proteins, enzymes, hormones and trillions of other chemicals in our bodies.  We must have enough phosphorus or the process stalls and health declines.  Too much mercury or aluminum in the body definitely interferes with the process of protein biosynthesis. This may show up on a hair mineral analysis as a phosphorus level less than about 13 mg%.

7. Buffering the pH of the blood.  Phosphorus compounds perform many interesting functions, among which is buffering acids in the body to maintain a steady pH or acid-base balance.  While phosphorus is considered an acid-forming mineral, this is only partially true.  Phosphorus in certain forms has a neutralizing effect upon lactic acid and other acids that can build up in the body.  So phosphorus can be both acid-forming and alkaline-forming in our bodies depending on what it is used for.

8. Maintaining the osmotic balance of the body fluids.  This is another very interesting use of phosphorus in our bodies.  All the fluids in our bodies such as the lymph, blood and the fluid inside of all of our cells must be maintained in a balance.  Otherwise pressures would build up and damage our cell walls, our blood vessels and other pipes or conduits through which the fluids flow.  Some phosphorus compounds help to keep all the fluids in balance by conducting small amounts of it back and forth between various body compartments like the cells, the blood stream and the lymph fluid.

IV. PHOSPHORUS ASSESSMENT USING HAIR MINERAL ANALYSIS

The hair phosphorus level is a critical indicator on a properly performed hair mineral test.  Dr. Paul Eck found that the hair phosphorus level mainly has to do with protein biosynthesis.  Without sufficient protein synthesis, healing is definitely impaired.  Thus, correcting the phosphorus level on a hair analysis is of primary importance. 

An ideal hair phosphorus level is about 16 mg% or about 160 parts per million.  The hair must not be washed at the laboratory for accurate hair readings.

False Phosphorus Readings with Pubic Hair.  Pubic hair samples often produce very high phosphorus readings – up to 50 mg%!  This is just one reason why the use of pubic hair for hair mineral analysis is not as reliable as head or body hair.  Hair testing laboratories often allow practitioners to submit pubic hair samples, but I do not allow clients to do this unless there are no alternatives.  (Fingernails or toenails are more reliable indicators of the soft tissue phosphorus level.)

WHAT DOES THE HAIR PHOSPHORUS LEVEL INDICATE?

A Speed Indicator.  Phosphorus on a hair mineral test may indicate the speed of protein synthesis.  This is an important sign, at times.

A Catabolic Indicator.  When the hair phosphorus level is less than 15 mg%, a person is not synthesizing protein fast enough.  This reflects a more catabolic state.  This means one is tearing the body down faster than it is being built up.  This is a simple, useful indicator for assessing a person’s health status and perhaps understanding why a person is not improving very fast. 

An Important Vitality Indicator. ​We also use phosphorus as a general vitality indicator, although Dr. Eck did not mention this too often.  The ideal is about 15 to 16 mg%.  When the level is lower, it indicates impaired vitality.

When the hair phosphorus is less than 12 mg%, vitality is usually lower.  A level less than 10 mg% is even more extreme.  We see the low levels in those people who:

  • do not eat enough animal protein
  • have impaired digestion
  • yeast infections
  • vegetarians
  • extreme stress

A Yang Indicator.  Phosphorus is a fairly yang mineral.  When it is low, it often indicates a more yin condition of the body.

An Important “Male” Mineral.  Another way to analyze phosphorus metabolism is by understanding that phosphorus is a “male” mineral because of its fiery nature.  Trauma or anything that makes the body yin, including too many “female” toxic metals such as mercury and copper, can interfere with its functioning.

Lifestyle & Phosphorus.  Those with low hair phosphorus can be high strung.  It is helpful for them to relax to help normalize their hair phosphorus level.

Impaired Digestion & Low Phosphorus.  Low hair phosphorus may indicate impaired digestion of protein if a person is eating sufficient high-quality protein.  Many people do not digest protein very well.  The reasons can be low digestive enzymes, poor food combinations, improper eating habits such as eating on the run, yeast infections, or other intestinal infections or improper gut flora. 

To correct this, everyone with a low phosphorus level needs to take a powerful digestive aid such as ox bile and pancreatin.  We use one called GB-3.  Another brand that is okay is called Bilex.

Zinc Deficiency or Copper Toxicity and Low Phosphorus.  Often, a low phosphorus on a hair test indicates hidden or overt copper toxicity.  This is usually due to copper’s antagonistic effects on other critical nutrients such as zinc, vitamin C, manganese and others.

As a result, too much copper in the body is associated with yeast overgrowth in the intestines, low digestive enzyme production due to low zinc, improper gut flora and intestinal infections.

A Protein Deficiency Indicator.  A low phosphorus reading, either on a first test or on a retest, can indicate low protein in the diet.  A decrease in the phosphorus level on a retest when a person is following a nutritional balancing program may indicate low protein in the diet.

A development Indicator.  A phosphorus level between 17 to about 25 mg% usually indicates a mild form of protein breakdown or catabolism that is associated with reaching the second or third stage of development.  This is wonderful and indicates progress on a development program.

The elevated phosphorus may result from the lysis or breakdown of some glial cells in the brain, and perhaps other changes associated with early development.

This is exciting because the end result is a greater brain capacity and thus much better mental functioning.  This is an important step in the process of development.  For more details, read Introduction To Development.  Thus, a slightly elevated phosphorus can be a very positive indicator on a properly performed hair mineral analysis.

Note: Certain hair products can also cause an elevated phosphorus, and this must be ruled out.

An Indicator For Other Toxic Metals.  A low hair phosphorus may be an indicator for the presence of aluminum, mercury, and perhaps nickel or lead, as well.

TMG may Help Raise a Low Hair Phosphorus Reading.  TMG enhances methylation, and this may enhance protein biosynthesis, in some cases.

VERY HIGH PHOSPHORUS READINGS (P > 25 MG%)

At times, one will see a hair phosphorus level of 26 mg% or higher.  In this case, first make sure the person did not submit a pubic hair sample.  Also, rule out certain hair products that contain phosphorus.  This will almost always explain the very high reading.  It is not a development pattern.

SUBSTANCES THAT MAY IMPEDE NORMALIZATION OF THE HAIR PHOSPHORUS READING

Propranolol.  This drug is used to lower blood pressure, reduce thyroid activity and to calm the heart.  It may interfere with the fiery quality of phosphorus.

Antimony.  This is found in the inhaler, Flovent.  It poisons protein synthesis and is associated with a low phosphorus level.  Avoid this inhaler.

SUMMARY OF CAUSES FOR A LOW HAIR PHOSPHORUS (IMPAIRED PROTEIN SYNTHESIS) INCLUDE:

1. Not enough dietary protein, or perhaps not enough high quality protein such a meat and eggs.  For example, living on soy products such as tofu, nuts, seeds or beans can cause this reading as these are all lower quality proteins. Other examples are vegan diets, and vegetarian diets. 

2. Incorrect eating habits.  These include eating in the car, eating too fast, eating in noisy restaurants, eating when not at peace.  Others are eating standing up, eating when upset, not chewing your food thoroughly or eating at your desk while you are working.

3. Possibly eating a less well utilized, incomplete, poorly absorbed, overcooked or spoiled protein food.  For example, overcooked meat and all hard-cooked and hard-boiled eggs are harder to digest.  Protein powders, no matter how nutritious, should ideally be eaten alone.  When they are mixed with fruit, vegetables, water, juice and some vitamins in a blender they are often very bad food combinations that are poorly utilized by the body.

4. Problems in the digestive tract or liver that interfere with the absorption or utilization of amino acids.  A common one is a chronic candida albicans infection, for example.  Others might be leaky gut syndrome, an inflamed intestinal tract or an irritated bowel due to a parasitic or other infection.  These problems are extremely common and plague most people to some degree.

5. Deficiencies of some nutrient or an excess of toxins in the mitochondria that impairs energy production and DNA and RNA synthesis.  This is a final step in protein synthesis and a very important one.  Many people suffer from what is today called mitochondrial defects for these reasons.  Minerals such as zinc and magnesium, among others, are needed in the correct proportions and the correct forms for protein synthesis and energy production.

6. The presence of toxic metals.  Examples are too much copper, mercury, or aluminum.  The presence of the amigos or irritant forms of minerals may inflict oxidant and other types of damage on proteins in the body.

7. Low hair phosphorus as an indicator for a hidden zinc deficiency.  A low hair phosphorus level frequently indicates a need for zinc, or the presence of excess copper in the body, regardless of the hair zinc or copper levels.  This was another of Dr. Eck’s brilliant insights about the body and about hair mineral analysis.  Zinc is required for several important enzymes involved in protein synthesis such as RNA transferase.  Without adequate available zinc, protein synthesis is severely impaired.

Skin, hair and nail problems and phosphorus.  If zinc becomes deficient, the body prioritizes its zinc reserves and may reduce the synthesis less essential proteins such as the skin, hair and nails.  This is one cause for baldness, skin diseases and “zinc spots”, small whitish spots on the fingernails and toenails.

One can even calculate when stress or another condition reduced the available zinc by the location of the spots relative to the distal end of the fingernails.  The fingernails usually grow about one-fourth to one-third of an inch per month.  The closer a white spot is to the nail bed, the more recent was the low zinc present.

Impaired protein synthesis due to low zinc or high copper is also why some women develop stretch marks, baldness at times, spider veins, varicose veins, digestive problems and many, many other telltale signs of low zinc.  These indicate stress and copper imbalance, at the very least, and may indicate other problems with protein synthesis.

INTERESTING PHOSPHORUS READINGS DURING NUTRITIONAL BALANCING PROGRAMS

Very High Hair Phosphorus on a Retest - A Celebration Pattern.  A sudden increase in hair phosphorus on a retest, but only when a person has followed a nutritional balancing program, is often very positive, even if the level rises to 25 or 30 mg%.  It appears to reflect a breaking down and release of old, diseased tissue.  The level usually returns to a more normal level on the next retest.

In this regard, tissue breakdown or catabolism is not all bad when it is controlled and is a part of rebuilding or actually remodeling of the body in a more healthful way.  This is an important principle of nutritional balancing science that sometimes tissue must break down to be replaced by healthier tissues.

Updating the Minerals. A high phosphorus of this type can represent updating the minerals in the body.  This is a rather unusual process, as is mental development, that usually never occurs except when one follows a complete nutritional balancing program for several years. 

It involves replacing what may be called “older” minerals with “newer” ones that work better.  The older ones include toxic metals such as lead, cadmium, arsenic and aluminum.  The newer ones include zinc, copper, selenium and silicon.  Humanity is moving in the direction of the newer minerals, and away from the older ones which are associated with violence, horror and certain diseases. 

Just taking these newer minerals will not accomplish the same thing as following a carefully designed program based on a tissue mineral test and guided by the principles of Dr. Eck as far as how to interpret the hair test and design the program.

“Gathering Firewood” Pattern.  Phosphorus may decrease on a retest if the body eliminates lead, mercury or perhaps some other toxic metal.  This occurs commonly during a nutritional balancing program.  It is not a problem, at all.

In these cases, toxic metals, especially lead, had been displacing the phosphorus level upwards.  As the toxic metal is eliminated from the body, the hair phosphorus decreases to where it should be.  This phenomenon is called displacement.

Another possibility is that as certain toxic metals are removed from the body, they may temporarily interfere with protein biosynthesis and cause a lower phosphorus reading.  More research is needed on this topic.

“On fire” Pattern.  This is defined as an increase in the hair phosphorus of 2 mg% or more on a retest.  This is an excellent sign, indicating better vitality and improved speed of protein biosynthesis.

“Moving Fast” Pattern.  This is a retest hair analysis pattern when a person is following a nutritional balancing program.  It consists of:

1. A hair phosphorus level greater than 16 mg%.

2. An “amigo dump” (elimination of several of the so-called amigos).

3. A double or triple positive “flip” pattern (flips are when a key ratio, or the oxidation rate, or another pattern flips or changes rapidly to become much more positive).

This is a very positive combination of patterns on a hair analysis retest, for which reason it is called the Moving Fast pattern.

V. PHOSPHORUS SYNERGISTS AND ANTAGONISTS

​Synergists.  Minerals and other substances that are essential for the action of phosphorus include:

  • Most of the trace minerals because these are needed for energy production, cell membrane formation, protein synthesis, the nervous system and fluid balance.
  • Calcium is absorbed with phosphorus and is a synergist in bone formation, nervous system activity and in other ways.  Calcium can also be a phosphorus antagonist.
  • Magnesium is a synergist in energy production and protein synthesis. 
  • Vitamin D assists phosphorus absorption, along with calcium absorption and utilization.
  • B-complex vitamins require phosphorus for their activity, in many cases.
  • TMG or trimethylglycine, is often synergistic with phosphorus.

Phosphorus Antagonists.  These substances block or interfere with the action of phosphorus in the body in some manner.

  • Aluminum, mercury and lead are powerful antagonists for phosphorus.
  • Cortisone therapies, and steroid-containing drugs and medicines such as nasal sprays, pain remedies, cortisone shots and other steroid-containing products.  In part, the devastating effects of these common remedies may be their detrimental effect on phosphorus metabolism in the body.  This can help explain common side effects of these drugs such as bone loss, cataract formation, thinning of the skin, exhaustion, adrenal damage and others.
  • Propranolol may be antagonistic to phosphorus.  More research is needed on this, however.

VI. THE HAIR CALCIUM/PHOSPHORUS RATIO

Some people use this ratio to assess the oxidation rate.  Dr. Eck rejected this idea completely.  It is not accurate enough, and it is too unreliable because it can be influenced by many factors.

It is true that calcium represents stability and sluggishness when it is too high.  Meanwhile, the hair phosphorus represents adequate protein synthesis.  However, this is not the same as the oxidation rate, which depends upon adrenal and thyroid activity.  Dr. Melvin Page, DDS used the Ca/P ratio in the blood serum to assess the sympathetic and parasympathetic balance, but this is entirely different from the hair mineral biopsy concept.

Also, the hair Ca/P ratio can be impacted by several other patterns that will skew the ratio severely.  These are:

1. Three Highs/Four Highs Pattern.  In this case, a person could be in fast oxidation, but the hair Ca/P ratio will indicate slow oxidation.  This is common and very confusing if one uses the hair Ca/P to assess the oxidation rate.

2. Four Lows Pattern.  In this case, a person can be in slow oxidation, but the hair Ca/P ratio will often indicate fast oxidation.  This is also terribly confusing and not true.

3. Pubic Hair Samples.  If pubic hair is used for testing, which I do not recommend, the phosphorus level is often elevated in these samples.  This will skew the hair Ca/P ratio.

For all these reasons, I avoid using the hair Ca/P ratio for assessing the oxidation rate and it is not used in nutritional balancing science at this time (2014). 

Much more can be written about phosphorus.  For more technical information about phosphorus, see the Mineral Reference Guide in the back of the text, Nutritional Balancing And Hair Mineral Analysis 

Sources: Lawrence Wilson, MD
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Josephine, your Certified Nutritionist
I earned and completed my certification in holistic nutrition and in Functional Diagnostic Nutrition and I am now practicing Hair Mineral Analysis and Nutritional Balancing Science to people all over the globe from my home in Vancouver, British Columbia.  

With the help of Dr. Lawrence Wilson, whom I work with, we develop a finely tuned nutritional balancing program designed to balance your body based on the results of regular hair mineral analysis testing and your specific health status.  

You can contact me here. 
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