The influence of dietary phosphorus intake on the rate of bone metabolism in sheep

Abstract
1. A combination of balance and isotope techniques was used to determine the influence of phosphorus depletion on the size of the exchangeable calcium pool and on the rates of Ca deposition in and removal from the whole skeleton of sheep. 2. The exchangeable Ca pool was reduced in size in the depleted sheep to approximately 50% of that in the controls. 3. The rates of Ca deposition in and removal from bone were reduced by P depletion and the rate of Ca transfer from the pool was reduced slightly. 4. The turnover rates of the exchangeable Ca pool and bone Ca in sheep appear to be similar to values published for man.