Often, a chemical analysis of human urine shows an excess 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 de alt with in our article.
Chemical composition of human waste products
Urine is a product of human life. It is excreted by the kidneys as a result of blood filtration. The chemical composition of urine, determined in laboratory studies, is important in the diagnosis of human pathological conditions. The norm is a clear liquid of a light yellow color, however, the color of urine can change when a person eats certain foods or takes medications. Possible deviations in the composition of urine from the normal state indicate disorders occurring in the body and resulting from improper metabolism. For example, sugar found in the analysis may indicate that a person has diabetes; but protein or urinary cylinders signal possible kidney diseases - nephritis.
Mostly human urine consists of water, however, in addition, it includes the breakdown products of proteins and s alts - oxalates, urates and phosphates. During normal kidney function, phosphates, like other minerals in urine, are present in small amounts. However, there are situations when there is an excess of s alts contained in the urine. And not only in the adult conditionally he althy population. Elevated s alts, including amorphous phosphates, in the urine of an infant, a pregnant woman is also not uncommon.
Types of s alts in urine. Urats
Urates are s alts that precipitate in urine when eating foods rich in special organic compounds - purine derivatives.
Such products include meat, organ meats, sardines, herring, sprats, legumes, as well as cocoa beans and chocolate. In addition, the frequent presence of mushrooms and smoked meats in the diet will immediately affect the chemical composition of urine.
In addition to the food you eat, factors that lead to high levels of urate in your urine include:
- physical activity;
- large fluid loss with diarrhea, vomiting, profuse sweating;
- gout;
- leukemia.
To bring the urate content in the urine back 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 food,containing calcium, magnesium, zinc;
- monitor adequate levels of vitamin A and B vitamins in the body;
- eat eggs, dairy products, vegetables, fruits, flour products, cereals - i.e. foods that do not contain purine derivatives.
Oxalates
If a person's diet is oversaturated with foods rich in oxalic acid (greens: spinach, parsley, celery, sorrel), as well as vitamin C (radishes, beets, apples, currants, rose hips, ascorbic acid, citrus fruits), then in most cases, a chemical analysis of urine will reflect an increased content of s alts 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. Crystals of these s alts often damage the mucous membrane, cause irritation of the urinary tract. Also, oxalates can be found in the urine with pyelonephritis, diabetes mellitus, intestinal diseases, ulcerative colitis.
To reduce the concentration of this type of s alt in the urine, it is recommended:
- increase fluid intake (daily intake should be up to two liters);
- eat 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 s alts in the urine leads to its turbidity, however, to determine which s alts predominate inexcess, only laboratory analysis is possible. If the sediment contains elevated phosphates, in such a situation they speak of the manifestation of phosphaturia. However, the excessive presence of phosphate in the urine is rather not a disease, but a syndrome, which in most cases reflects a certain diet of a person.
Vegetarianism and a person's rejection of animal protein often lead to phosphaturia. The cause-and-effect relationships are as follows. For the processing of carbohydrates and proteins, an acidic environment is needed, however, the need for it gradually decreases if products containing these components do not enter the body. At the same time, the production of alkali increases, and phosphate s alts 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 (in the alkaline direction) indicates that disturbances have occurred in the body. Possibly increased amorphous phosphate in urine.
Causes of Phosphaturia
Phosphates can be found in the urine of a he althy person if food rich in phosphorus is constantly present in his diet (sour-milk products, fish, caviar, milk, cereals: oatmeal, pearl barley, buckwheat). To reduce the content of this type of s alt, you should reduce the intake of vitamin D in the body - less often eat 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, this will be evidenced by a chemical analysis of urine. The cause of phosphaturia may be a lack of fluid. Similar 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, such as cystitis, fever, Fanconi syndrome, hyperparathyroidism, gastritis, diabetes, pulmonary tuberculosis. However, these cases are quite rare. It is important to remember that the level of phosphate in the urine itself does not indicate the presence of pathology. Urinalysis should be evaluated by a specialist in a comprehensive manner - all its indicators must be taken into account.
The formation of kidney stones. Treatment
Excess in the urine of various s alts can lead in the future 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 examination.
The formation of phosphate stones is a rare pathology, however, it responds well to treatment. Phosphate stones have a soft texture and porous structure, they have a smooth and even surface. Due to these properties, phosphates are quite simply dissolved and easily excreted from the body. It usually does not come to surgery in the treatment of urolithiasis.
The method of treatment of urolithiasis is based on the use of pharmacological drugs that soften stones. Further, phosphate stones are subjected to remote shock wave lithotripsy using a special apparatus. Several sessions of such therapy break up s alt formations intosmaller components that are later easily excreted from the body naturally.
Treatment of urolithiasis is a necessary measure, otherwise a person is likely to develop various complications - renal colic, malignant tumors of the renal pelvis, sepsis.
Amorphous phosphates in urine during pregnancy
Phosphaturia is not uncommon in women during pregnancy, but this is usually not dangerous. In most cases, this syndrome is caused by a change in 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, yogurts - and refuse to eat meat leads to a change in the acid-base balance of the body - urine becomes alkaline.
Besides a change in diet, other factors can lead to the formation of excess s alts in the urine. For example, disorders 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 consultation with a nephrologist in order to find out the causes that led to the onset of phosphaturia.
There is another reason that causes increased production of phosphates in expectant mothers - physiological. During pregnancy, a woman's blood levels of progesterone rise. This hormone relaxes the muscles, respectively, affects the ureters - theystasis of urine. As a result, the s alts precipitate. However, amorphous phosphates do not form stones during pregnancy, therefore, as a rule, the situation is corrected only by changing the daily diet. Walking regularly can help improve urine flow.
Diet for pregnant women with phosphaturia
During pregnancy, women are often advised to follow a special diet that minimizes the consumption of foods that alkalize the urine and lead to the formation of excess phosphates. This category includes:
- dairy products;
- spices and spices;
- simple carbohydrates (white flour products, sugar, white rice);
- carbonated drinks;
- vegetables, herbs, berries, fruits;
- rich broths;
- strong tea, coffee, cocoa.
Eating a pregnant woman with phosphaturia is reduced to eating animal proteins, cereals, whole grains, bran, liver, oil. Among the vegetables, it is worth highlighting Brussels sprouts, pumpkin, asparagus. The use of lingonberries and red currants is allowed. Consuming less s alt 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 (non-boiled) water. You can use sour fruit drinks from lingonberries or cranberries. It will be useful to take vitamin complexes.
High s alt content in children
There are several factors that cause the condition when amorphous phosphates in the urine of a childexceed the allowable values:
- foods baby eats;
- the presence of pathology in the body - rickets.
If the phosphaturia syndrome is caused by a nutritional imbalance, the situation is corrected quite simply. If the formation of an increased level 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 the formation of bone tissue due to a lack of minerals, vitamin D deficiency. This pathology requires a competent approach to treatment and replenishment of vitamins in the body. Treatment of rickets is performed only in a specialized hospital.
Symptoms of the disease most often appear before the age of two years:
- deformity of the lower extremities in the area of the knee or ankle;
- frequent fractures of limbs;
- reducing the size of the upper limbs.
Among other things, increased amorphous phosphates in the urine of a child may be due to an incompletely debugged mechanism of microelement metabolism in the body. However, if the child does not have any pathologies, laboratory analysis of the chemical composition of urine does not have decisive properties.
It should always be remembered that amorphous phosphates in the urine in large quantities are a signal from the body that certain disturbances occur in metabolic processes and the current situation should be corrected by eliminating the cause of the syndrome. However, it is impossible to completely abandon products containing phosphates. Phosphorus -a macronutrient, without which the functioning of the musculoskeletal system is simply impossible.
