Main Routes of Exposure: Benefits and harms of phosphoric acid Skin contact. Eye contact.
Inhalation: Not expected to be an inhalation hazard unless heated or misted. Can irritate the nose and throat What are the potential health effects of phosphoric acid.
Skin Contact: Contact can cause pain, redness, burns, and blistering. Permanent scarring can result. A severe exposure can cause death.
Eye Contact: Contact causes severe burns with redness, swelling, pain and blurred vision. Permanent damage including blindness can result.
Ingestion: Can burn the lips, tongue, throat and stomach. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea. Permanent damage can result.
Carcinogenicity: Not known to cause cancer.
Teratogenicity / Embryotoxicity: Not known to harm the unborn child.
Mutagenicity: Not known to be a mutagen.
Phosphoric acid, a common food additive, has been associated with decreased bone mineral density. A colorless, odorless substance, it is used in fertilizers and detergents as well as foods and beverages. Its purpose in the food industry is to give a sharp flavor to food or to serve as a preservative.
The most widely consumed source of phosphoric acid is soft drinks. Phosphoric acid is responsible for the characteristic biting taste associated with colas. In addition to colas, many sports drinks, bottled teas, punches and fruit-flavored beverages contain phosphoric acid.
The salts of phosphoric acid are used in many dairy products to modify the proteins and alter the pH to produce a higher-quality product. The addition of phosphates derived from phosphoric acid to cheese results in smooth, shelf-stable products. Phosphoric acid or phosphates can also be found in milk, buttermilk, cottage cheese and nondairy coffee creamers.
Phosphoric acid salts are combined with baking soda to produce baking powder, a leavening agent found in many baked goods.
Studies have linked phosphoric acid to lower bone density in human. Another study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition hypothesized that the consumption of colas containing caffeine and phosphoric acid decreases bone mineral density. Researchers found similar results for diet cola consumption and similar yet weaker results for decaffeinated cola as well. They did not see a relationship between non-cola carbonated beverage consumption and BMD. The conclusion of the study is that cola consumption is associated with low bone mineral density, especially in women. The fact that the non-cola beverages didn’t seem to negatively affect bone density and the fact that even decaffeinated Benefits and harms of phosphoric acid cola had a negative impact point toward phosphoric acid as the enemy of bone health.
The consumption of cola beverages rich in phosphoric acid has been linked to urinary changes, chronic kidney disease and kidney stones. Healthy kidneys rid the body of any extra phosphorus, but excess phosphoric acid can be taxing on the kidneys, especially for people with chronic kidney disease who are typically advised to avoid high-phosphorous foods. Phosphorus is naturally found in many foods so it’s not hard for us to get enough of, but it becomes problematic when we start getting too much in our diets. The phosphoric acid found in colas and other processed foods is problematic because it can easily lead to an overload of phosphorus in our bodies. A study published in the journal Epidemiology evaluated the dietary habits of 465 people with chronic kidney disease and 467 healthy subjects What are the potential health effects of phosphoric acid.
Most people easily meet their daily phosphorus needs through their diets, especially if they consume foods high in phosphorus. It’s actually more common to have too much phosphorus in the body rather than too little. This is why consuming things that contain “hidden phosphorus” is so problematic, and phosphoric acid is a top source of hidden phosphorus. Getting an excess of phosphorus in your diet can decrease your body’s calcium levels, and research has even linked daily cola consumption to hypocalcemia. In addition, it can lead to phosphorus overload, which can impair your body’s utilization of vital nutrients like iron, magnesium and zinc. Deficiencies in any of these nutrients can lead to all kinds of other health problems.
Phosphoric acid is used for metal cleaning and refining, as well as fertilizer manufacturing. It’s also found in disinfectants and detergents. With those usages, it’s not so surprising that this acid is commonly found on lists of “strong acids” or chemicals commonly used in industry that can cause chemical burns. It’s also commonly used for rust removal. Cola soda is even commonly recommended as a cheap phosphoric acid cleaner! If it can remove rust from metal, what can this acid do to our insides? There are many well-established possible phosphoric acid hazards or dangers. As a corrosive chemical, phosphoric acid can irritate and burn the eyes and skin. It can also irritate the nose, throat and lungs, leading to wheezing and coughing. It’s also interesting to note that the same process of producing phosphoric acid, including metal treatment, refractories and catalysts, is also used to create the version of the acid used in food and beverages.
Clinical interest in a high phosphate intake dates back to the 1970s when it was noticed that animals fed a diet high in phosphate had lower bone density than would be expected . Studies in diverse groups such as baboons, Finnish women and Gambian children all support the extra dangers of a low calcium intake when phosphorus intake is high . Studies show that a high phosphorus intake stimulates the secretion of parathyroid hormone and FGF-23 which in turn leads to bone mineral density loss and heart disease.
Summary: Benefits and harms of phosphoric acid There are data to support the claim that phosphoric acid lowers bone density.
About 85% of phosphate in the body is found in bone and teeth. This bound phosphorus does not affect the acid-base pH level of the bo. This is the proportion of phosphate that can affect the acid-base balance of the body. This 0.01% pool of phosphate is the reservoir for absorbed dietary phosphate. As mentioned above, the body regulates the blood levels of phosphate very efficiently. Rises in the blood phosphate level trigger corrective measures to divert the phosphate out of the blood compartment. This means that phosphoric acid intake does not have a significant impact on the body’s acidity as long as these corrective measures are functional.
Additionally, the levels of phosphorus in the blood exhibit biphasic diurnal variation which means that the levels vary throughout the day. Lowest levels of phosphorus are seen in the blood between 8 and 10 am which is primetime for blood draws in hospitals. For these reasons, routine measurement of phosphorus in the blood (and especially single time point measurements in the early morning) is not considered to be a helpful reflection of phosphorus intake.
Summary: The body has inbuilt homeostatic mechanisms that limit the effect of phosphoric acid on the body’s acidity.
Some branded drinks contain a mixture of fructose, sucrose and phosphoric acid. These drinks are advertised as anti-nausea drinks. There is nothing in the medical literature to support the benefits of these drinks.
Summary: There is no science behind the claim that phosphoric acid has an antiemetic effect.
Most soda contain phosphoric acid and citric acid, which are both highly damaging to your teeth. Acids can soften the enamel of the teeth, increasing the risk of cavities and tooth decay.
Phosphoric acid is a colorless, odorless substance. It is used in many foods and medicines. Here are some examples of its advantages and disadvantages
Causes sores, redness and burning when in contact with the eyes.
Irritating to nose and throat if inhaled.
Excessive consumption of phosphoric acid causes excessive phosphorus in the body.
Phosphoric acid is very high and strong acid, so it is used in disinfectants.
Phosphoric acid causes high shelf life in some products.