Phosphorus and endurance
What 5 graded rows on phosphorus agree on for endurance, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the Phosphorus page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the Phosphorus page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
Phosphorus and endurance
5 rows · 93 peopleMostly no difference: 4 of 5 rows, and most of the people. 1 found an improvement.
- DGrade D× 5
- Rows
- 5
- Trials
- 5
- People
- 93
Where they differ
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade D, is a crossover trial of 24 people (2022) and found no difference.
Only the 4 rows that found no difference name women in their population.
The rows
1 improved · 4 no difference- DGrade DAerobic capacity in hypoxia · No difference
Crossover RCT · n 24 · 2022 · Trained male cyclists (Poland)
50 mg per kg of fat-free mass per day · 6 days, 3-week washout
Blood phosphate rose 9.0%, but 2,3-DPG, hemoglobin oxygen affinity, buffering capacity and aerobic capacity in hypoxia did not improve versus placebo; a responder subgroup gained 3–5%.
- DGrade D20 km cycling time-trial performance · No difference
Crossover RCT · n 20 · 2019 · Endurance-trained male cyclists
50 mg per kg of fat-free mass per day · 4 days before each trial, 14-day washout
No effect on responses to submaximal cycling or on 20 km time (32.8 minutes with both). Ventilation, respiratory exchange ratio, effort ratings and post-trial lactate were higher with sodium phosphate.
- DGrade D30 km cycling time-trial performance · No difference
Crossover RCT · n 16 · 2023 · Well-trained cyclists, mean age 38 (UK)
3.5 g/day (24.7 mmol/day phosphate) · 4 days before each trial, 14-day washout
Time-trial time (3,059 vs 2,995 seconds), mean power, heart rate and effort ratings did not differ meaningfully from placebo.
- DGrade D500 kJ cycling time trial in women, three doses · No difference
Crossover RCT · n 13 · 2014 · Female cyclists of differing fitness
25, 50 or 75 mg per kg of fat-free mass per day, in four split doses · 6 days per loading phase, about 21-day washout
No dose changed time-trial time or average or peak power versus placebo.
- DGrade DHeart and oxygen-delivery responses during exercise at simulated altitude · Improved
Crossover RCT · n 20 · 2021 · Trained male cyclists
50 mg per kg of fat-free mass per day · 6 days, 3-week washout
During low- and moderate-intensity exercise in hypoxia (about 2,500 m), heart rate fell and stroke volume and oxygen pulse rose; serum phosphate rose 8.7% and serum calcium did not change. Gross efficiency did not change.