Often, a chemical analysis of human urine shows an excess of the norm of such an indicator as amorphous phosphates in the urine. What does this mean, what is fraught with and for what reasons does it arise? These questions will be dealt with in our article.
The chemical composition of human waste products
Urine is a product of human activity. It is secreted by the kidneys as a result of blood filtration. The chemical composition of urine, determined in laboratory studies, is important in the diagnosis of pathological conditions of a person. The norm is a clear liquid of a light yellow color, however, the color of the urine may change when a person eats certain foods or takes medications. Possible deviations of the composition of urine from a normal state indicate disorders that occur in the body and are the result of improper metabolism. For example, sugar found in the analysis may indicate the presence of diabetes in a person; but protein or urinary cylinders signal possible kidney diseases - nephritis.
Mostly human urine consists of water, however, in addition, its composition includes the breakdown products of proteins and salts - oxalates, urates and phosphates. During normal kidney function, phosphates, like other minerals in urine, are present in small quantities. However, there are situations when there is an excess of
salts contained
in the urine. And not only in an adult of a conditionally healthy population. Elevated salts, including amorphous phosphates, in the urine of an infant, are also common in a pregnant woman.
Types of salts in the urine. Urata
Urate - salts that precipitate in urine when eating foods rich in special organic compounds - derivatives of purine.
Such products include meat, meat offal, sardines, herring, sprats, legumes, as well as cocoa beans and chocolate. In addition, the frequent presence in the diet of mushrooms and smoked meats will immediately affect the chemical composition of urine.
In addition to the food consumed, the factors leading to the appearance in the urine of an increased content of urates are:
- exercise stress;
- large fluid loss with diarrhea, vomiting, profuse sweating;
- gout;
- leukemia.
To bring the urine urate content to normal, it is recommended:
- consume the required amount of fluid per day (at least 1.5–2 liters);
- drink mineral water containing alkali;
- saturate the diet with foods containing calcium, magnesium, zinc;
- monitor a sufficient level of vitamin A and B vitamins in the body;
- eat eggs, dairy products, vegetables, fruits, flour products, cereals - that is, products that do not contain purine derivatives.
Oxalates
If the human diet is oversaturated with foods rich in oxalic acid (greens: spinach, parsley, celery, sorrel), as well as vitamin C (radishes, beets, apples, currants, rosehips, ascorbic acid, citrus fruits), then in most cases, a chemical analysis of urine will be reflect the increased content of salts such as oxalates in it.
However, an excess of oxalates can also be a consequence of congenital metabolic disorders in the body of oxalic acid, leading to an inflammatory process in the kidneys or stones in the genitourinary system. The crystals of these salts often damage the mucous membrane and cause irritation of the urinary tract. Also, oxalates can be found in urine with pyelonephritis, diabetes, intestinal diseases, ulcerative colitis.
To reduce the concentration of this type of salt in the urine, it is recommended:
- increase the amount of fluid consumed (the daily rate should be up to two liters);
- consume foods rich in magnesium (seafood, herring, seaweed, millet, oats);
- monitor the level of B vitamins in the body
Phosphaturia
An increase in the amount of salts in the urine leads to clouding, however, only laboratory analysis can determine which salts predominate in excess. If the precipitate contains elevated phosphates, in such a situation they speak of the manifestation of phosphaturia. However, the excessive presence of phosphates in the urine is, rather, not a disease, but a syndrome, which in most cases reflects a specific human diet.
Often vegetarianism and a person’s rejection of animal protein lead to phosphaturia. Causation is as follows. To process carbohydrates and proteins, an acidic environment is needed, however, the need for it is gradually reduced if products containing these components do not enter the body. At the same time, alkali production increases, and phosphate salts begin to predominate in the urine.
It is believed that normal human urine has a slightly acidic environment. However, a change in the acid-base balance (to the alkaline side) indicates that disturbances have occurred in the body. Amorphous phosphates in urine may be increased.
Causes of Phosphaturia
Phosphates can be found in the urine of a healthy person if a diet rich in phosphorus is constantly present in their diet (dairy products, fish, caviar, milk, cereals: oatmeal, barley, buckwheat). To reduce the content of this type of salt, you should reduce the intake of vitamin D in the body - less often use eggs, caviar, liver, cheese. Along with other minerals and trace elements, a person needs calcium, however, if it is not absorbed, but is actively excreted from the body along with urine, a chemical analysis of urine will testify to this. The cause of phosphaturia may be a lack of fluid. Such conditions are characteristic of diarrhea, vomiting, profuse sweating.
Of course, elevated phosphates in the urine can be evidence of various pathologies in the human body, for example, cystitis, fever, Fanconi syndrome, hyperparathyroidism, gastritis, diabetes mellitus, pulmonary tuberculosis. However, these cases are quite rare. It is important to remember that the level of phosphates in the urine alone does not indicate the presence of pathology. Urinalysis should be evaluated comprehensively by a specialist - all its indicators must be taken into account.
The formation of kidney stones. Treatment
Excess in the urine of various salts can eventually lead to the formation of stones and the development of urolithiasis. This pathology is called urolithiasis and is diagnosed only on the basis of an ultrasound study.
The formation of phosphate stones is a rare pathology, however, it is well treatable. Phosphate stones have a soft texture and a porous structure, they have a smooth and even surface. Due to these properties, phosphates are quite simple to dissolve and easily excreted from the body. Before surgery in the treatment of urolithiasis, usually it does not come.
The method of treatment of urolithiasis is based on the use of pharmacological agents that soften stones. Further, phosphate stones undergo remote shock wave lithotripsy using a special apparatus. Several sessions of such therapy break up salt formations into smaller components, which are later easily eliminated from the body naturally.
Treatment of urolithiasis is a necessary measure, otherwise the person is more likely to develop various complications - renal colic, malignant tumors of the renal pelvis, sepsis.
Amorphous phosphates in the urine during pregnancy
During pregnancy, women often experience phosphaturia, however, as a rule, this phenomenon is harmless. In most cases, this syndrome is caused by a change in your usual lifestyle and diet.
Against the background of toxicosis, which is accompanied by vomiting or diarrhea, a woman's taste preferences may change. The desire to switch to lighter foods - vegetables, fruits, yoghurts - and refuse to eat meat leads to a change in the acid-base balance of the body - urine becomes alkaline.
In addition to changing the diet, other factors can lead to the formation of excess salts in the urine. For example, abnormalities in the functioning of the kidneys and urinary tract. Phosphates may indicate the presence of kidney stones, so pregnant women are often sent for ultrasound diagnostics and further consultations with a nephropathologist to determine the causes of phosphaturia.
There is another reason that causes increased formation of phosphates in expectant mothers - physiological. During pregnancy, a woman rises blood progesterone levels. This hormone relaxes the muscles, respectively, and affects the ureters - urinary stagnation occurs in them. As a result, salts precipitate. However, amorphous phosphates do not form stones during pregnancy, therefore, as a rule, the situation is corrected only by changing the daily diet. Regular walks help improve urine outflow.
Diet for pregnant women with phosphaturia
During pregnancy, women are often asked to follow a special diet that minimizes the consumption of foods that alkalize urine and lead to the formation of excess phosphates. This category includes:
- milk products;
- spices and spices;
- simple carbohydrates (white flour products, sugar, white rice);
- carbonated drinks;
- vegetables, herbs, berries, fruits;
- rich broths;
- strong tea, coffee, cocoa.
The nutrition of a pregnant woman with phosphaturia is reduced to the consumption of animal proteins, cereals, whole grains, bran, liver, oil. Among the vegetables, Brussels sprouts, pumpkin and asparagus are worth highlighting. It is allowed to use lingonberries and red currants. Consuming less salt will solve the problem of fluid retention in the body.
It is important to monitor the amount of fluid consumed, as well as its quality - it is recommended to drink filtered (unboiled) water. You can eat sour fruit drinks from cranberries or cranberries. It will be useful to take vitamin complexes.
High salt content in children
There are several factors that cause the condition when amorphous phosphates in the urine of a child exceed the permissible values:
- foods that the baby eats;
- the presence of pathology in the body - rickets.
If the syndrome of phosphaturia is caused by food imbalance, the situation is corrected quite simply. If the formation of elevated levels of phosphates is a consequence of the disease - everything is much more complicated.
Rickets is a disease that occurs in preschool children, causing a violation of bone tissue due to a lack of minerals, a deficiency of vitamin D. This pathology requires a competent approach to the treatment and replenishment of vitamins in the body. Treatment of rickets is performed only in a specialized hospital.
Symptoms of the disease most often occur before the age of two years:
- deformation of the lower extremities in the knee or ankle;
- frequent fractures of the limbs;
- reduction in the size of the upper limbs.
Among other things, elevated amorphous phosphates in the urine of a child may be due to an incomplete debugged mechanism of the exchange of trace elements in the body. However, if the child does not reveal any pathologies, laboratory analysis of the chemical composition of urine does not have decisive properties.
You should always remember that amorphous phosphates in urine in large quantities are a signal of the body that certain disturbances occur in metabolic processes and that the current situation should be corrected, eliminating the cause of the syndrome. However, it is impossible to completely abandon products containing phosphates. Phosphorus is a macrocell, without which the functioning of the musculoskeletal system is simply impossible.