Biomarker-based studies

Whether a habitual high phosphorus (P)-intake may result in long-term adverse health outcomes is not yet clarified. Up do now, no population data are available on prospectively examined renal phosphate excretion rates determined in repeatedly – over years – collected 24-h urine samples for the non-invasive assessment of dietary P-intake. Studies are also lacking that examine possible long-term consequences of higher versus lower potential renal acid load (PRAL) for kidney health-relevant outcomes in young adulthood.

A detailed long-term trend analysis of P intake in healthy children and adolescents in Germany between 1990 and 2019 shall be performed, based on measurements of phosphate excretion in repeatedly collected 24-h urine samples in 3-17 years old participants of the DONALD study.

Potential long-term consequences of a high P-intake during childhood and adolescence will then be examined for different kidney health-relevant nephrological and endocrine-metabolic outcomes in adulthood.

Additionally, it shall be examined whether at least parts of the observed relationships between P-intake and outcomes may be explained by a habitually rather high dietary acid load, quantified – biomarker-based – via urinary PRAL measurements. Accordingly, preliminary information can be obtained on whether kidney health benefits reported for mainly plant-based, at least partly alkalizing diets like the mediterranean or the DASH diet may be contributorily caused by a habitually reduced dietary acid load.