Sodium phosphate supplementation, appetite and aerobic capacity in trained people
What it found
Six days of sodium phosphate supplementation did not change energy intake or aerobic capacity in trained men and women.
The authors say the supplement's performance benefit remains questionable.
What they found
Studies in people
Energy intake at meal
There was no difference in energy intake at the laboratory meal after a single dose on Day 1 (placebo 2,471 ± 919 kJ, phosphate 2,353 ± 987 kJ) or after longer supplementation.
Aerobic capacity
Peak aerobic capacity was about the same with phosphate supplementation (placebo 52.6 ± 5.2 ml · kg(-1) · min(-1), phosphate 53.3 ± 6.1 ml · kg(-1) · min(-1)).
Nutritional status
The authors say athletes can supplement with sodium phosphate without hindering their nutritional status.
Performance benefit
Because phosphate supplementation did not improve aerobic capacity, the authors say the performance benefit of this supplement remains questionable.
What the authors conclude
“In summary, 6 d of sodium phosphate supplementation does not appear to influence energy intake.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that 6 days of sodium phosphate supplementation does not appear to influence energy intake.
- They say athletes supplementing with sodium phosphate can do so without hindering their nutritional status.
- They state that given phosphate supplementation failed to improve aerobic capacity, the ergogenic benefit of this supplement remains questionable.
How it was done
Taking a single dose of phosphate has been shown to reduce energy intake at the next meal. The authors wanted to know whether taking phosphate for several days, as athletes do to try to improve performance, also affects how much people eat.
Twenty trained people completed two 6-day phases, taking either sodium phosphate (50 mg/kg of fat-free mass per day) or a placebo, in a double-blinded, counterbalanced design. On Days 1, 2, and 6, they were given a laboratory meal to measure appetite and how much they ate, and all other food and drink was recorded in a food diary. After the 6 days, peak aerobic capacity was measured.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This trial lasted only 6 days, so it cannot show what happens with longer use.
- It measured energy intake and aerobic capacity in trained people, so it cannot show effects on other health outcomes.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- University of Western Australia, Australia
The paper
- Title
- The effect of 6 days of sodium phosphate supplementation on appetite, energy intake, and aerobic capacity in trained men and women
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- West JS, Ayton T, Wallman KE, Guelfi KJ (2012). The effect of 6 days of sodium phosphate supplementation on appetite, energy intake, and aerobic capacity in trained men and women. International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.22.6.422PubMed 22804972DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error