vitamins

Phosphorus in Pregnancy diet

During pregnancy, attention to nutrition and the supply of minerals and vitamins that the body needs is one of the things that should be paid special attention to.

Phosphorus is one of the minerals that are very necessary to supply during pregnancy, in this article we will take a look at the consumption of phosphorus during pregnancy and what you should know about it.

Why do you need phosphorus during pregnancy?

Phosphorus is a mineral that helps build strong bones in you and your growing fetus. About 85% of all phosphorus in your body is in your bones. This mineral is also important for muscle contraction, blood clotting, kidney function, nerve conduction, tissue and cell repair, as well as normal heartbeat. Phosphorus helps the body produce and use energy.

Related article: vitamins for pregnancy

How much phosphorus do pregnant women need?

The amount of phosphorus needed is the same for all adult women, whether they are pregnant or breastfeeding or not. These values are as follows:

  • Women 18 years old and younger: 1,250 mg per day
  • Women 19 years old and older: 700 mg per day

Should pregnant women take phosphorus supplements?

No, You can easily get all the phosphorus you need from a balanced diet, and most pregnancy supplements also do not contain phosphorus because do not need to. For example, a glass of yogurt provides about half the phosphorus you need in a day. Your body in order to absorb phosphorus properly, it must be accompanied by calcium and vitamin D.

Should pregnant women take phosphorus supplements?
Should pregnant women take phosphorus supplements?

Phosphorus deficiency is also very rare and is usually only observed in cases of food deprivation. Its symptoms include weakness, anemia, loss of appetite, and loss of bone mass.

Effects of phosphorus deficiency on the body

If the amount of phosphorus in your body is not enough, it will lead to signs and symptoms as follows:

  • Bone and joint pains
  • loss of appetite
  • Anxiety and irritability
  • fatigue
  • Osteoporosis

We emphasize that few people may suffer from phosphorus deficiency, as even by consuming a small number of food sources that contain phosphorus, the amount required by the body is provided, generally, people who have diseases such as type 2 diabetes or kidney disease tend to be at risk of deficiency.

In which foods is phosphorus found?

The more you can supply the amount of phosphorus your body needs with natural foods, the better. As we mentioned, taking phosphorus supplements is only prescribed in special circumstances and for some patients, such as people with diabetes or osteoporosis. If you follow a balanced diet, you will definitely get the right amount of phosphorus.

It is interesting to know that most multivitamins during pregnancy do not contain phosphorus. In order to provide the phosphorus that the body needs, it is necessary to increase the consumption of calcium and vitamin D. These minerals help to absorb phosphorus more easily. Now is the time to learn about foods rich in phosphorus.

In which foods is phosphorus found?
In which foods is phosphorus found?

Phosphorus is mostly found in foods of animal origin. Beef, sheep, poultry, and fish, which have large amounts of protein, also have adequate phosphorus. Indeed phosphorus and proteins are two inseparable substances, and where there is protein, there is certainly a lot of phosphorus.

The best sources of phosphorus are as follows:

  • Beef
  • Lamb meat
  • Poultry meat, including chicken, turkey, partridge, quail, etc.
  • Fish
  • Egg
  • Cooked lentils
  • Almonds
  • Milk and derivatives
  • Nuts and walnuts
  • Beans
  • Potato
  • Cereals
  • Garlic
  • Dried fruit

According to the food items that we have introduced in this section, it can be said that a suitable diet containing each of the mentioned items can provide the amount of calcium and phosphorus required by the body of a pregnant woman. So a pregnant woman should get all these nutrients and try not to exclude any of them from her food basket.

last word

According to what we mentioned in the article, nutrition will play an important role in the health of the mother and the fetus, and since almost all of the substances mentioned are present in the household food basket, it is less likely that a person suffers from a phosphorus deficiency.

Our advice is not to assume that by using multivitamins you will be supplying the nutrients needed by the body, some minerals such as phosphorus are not found in most multivitamins as the amount the body needs will be provided with adequate nutrition. And there is no need to use medicinal supplements in this regard.

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Ella Adams

Ella Adams is a highly skilled content specialist and SEO manager. By delivering high-quality and up-to-date content, she provides the best possible experience for visitors of the Pregnancy website. Ella brings valuable insights through meticulous analysis and research in the areas of pregnancy, nutrition, suitable exercises, and other related topics. Additionally, as an SEO manager, she ensures improved website rankings on search engines through optimization strategies.

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