Phosphorus is one of the most abundant elements in the human body.

Most phosphorus in the body is

complexed with oxygen as phosphate (PO4). About 85% of the roughly 500 to 700 g of PO 4 in the body is
contained in bone, where it is an important constituent of crystalline hydroxyapatite. In soft tissues, PO 4 is
mainly found in the intracellular compartment as an integral component of several organic compounds,
including nucleic acids and cell membrane phospholipids. PO 4 is also involved in aerobic and anaerobic
energy metabolism. RBC 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) plays a crucial role in O 2delivery to tissue.
Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and ATP contain PO4 and use chemical bonds between PO4 groups to
store energy. Inorganic PO4 is a major intracellular anion but is also present in plasma. The normal serum
inorganic PO4 concentration in adults ranges from 2.5 to 4.5 mg/dL (0.81 to 1.45 mmol/L).
PO4 concentration is 50% higher in infants and 30% higher in children, possibly because of the important
roles these PO4–dependent processes play in growth.

The typical American diet contains about 800 to 1500 mg of PO 4. The amount in the stool varies
depending on the amount of PO4 binding compounds (mainly Ca) in the diet. Also, like Ca, GI
PO4absorption is enhanced by vitamin D. Renal PO4 excretion roughly equals GI absorption to maintain
PO4 balance. PO4 depletion can occur in various disorders and normally results in conservation of PO 4 by
the kidneys. Bone PO4 serves as a reservoir, which can buffer changes in plasma and intracellular PO 4.

Mg is the 4th most plentiful cation in the body. A 70-kg adult has about 2000 mEq of Mg. About 50% is
sequestered in bone and is not readily exchangeable with Mg in other compartments. The ECF contains
only about 1% of total body Mg. The remainder resides in the intracellular compartment. Normal serum
Mg concentration ranges from 1.4 to 2.1 mEq/L (0.70 to 1.05 mmol/L).

The maintenance of serum Mg concentration is largely a function of dietary intake and effective renal and
intestinal conservation. Within 7 days of initiation of a Mg-deficient diet, renal and stool Mg excretion each
fall to about 1 mEq/day (0.5 mmol/day).

About 70% of serum Mg is ultrafiltered (filtered through minute pores) by the kidney; the remainder is
bound to protein. Protein binding of Mg is pH dependent. Serum Mg concentration is not closely related to
either total body Mg or intracellular Mg content. However, severe serum hypomagnesemia may reflect
diminished total body Mg.

Many enzymes are activated by or dependent on Mg. Mg is required by all enzymatic processes involving
ATP and by many of the enzymes involved in nucleic acid metabolism. Mg is required for thiamine
pyrophosphate cofactor activity and appears to stabilize the structure of macromolecules such as DNA
and RNA. Mg is also related to Ca and K metabolism in an intimate but poorly understood way